Marcus Rashford has teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge to launch a new campaign designed to help families cook healthy meals on a budget.
The nationwide scheme – titled Full Time: Get Cooking – will see the Manchester United striker and acclaimed TV foodie shoot cooking videos together and release them weekly via social media.
The pair, who collaborated on the National Food Strategy earlier this year, will post 52 recipes in total – with a new video appearing on Instagram every Sunday morning.
The free recipes will be available on recipe cards in supermarkets, schools and food banks – with a QR code linking through to the Full Time social media page.
Tortilla Pizzas, Chicken Satay Stir Fry, Fish Pie Jackets, Mexican Style Chicken, Broccoli & Cauliflower Cheese, Creamy Chicken Pie and Fish Finger Butties are just some of the items set to appear on the channel.
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Each recipe will be easy to create with limited equipment.
Manchester United and England footballer Rashford has led a relentless campaign to end food poverty for over a year – having established a direct line to Downing Street during a successful bid to force a government u-turn on free school meals.
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His efforts have earned him numerous accolades including an honorary doctorate from University of Manchester – but his latest mission involves getting families to spend time together in kitchens.
Rashford commented: “This project is for every child and I really hope parents and carers will benefit from having a bit of valuable time together in the kitchen when family activity is heavily restricted by financial restraints.
“We needed to come up with a creative project that really engaged children most in need, preparing them for what adult life has to offer, whilst also attracting all children to break down stigma around usage of [food] vouchers.
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He added: “Even though I’m not the best cook, I’ve enjoyed getting in the kitchen and doing my best.
“When my mum was at home I’d always watch her cooking and have a nosey and a laugh. Half an hour of a bit of fun before I went back to sleep and she went back to work. From where I look at it, why not create something similar to that?”
COMING SOON!! Head over to Instagram and follow #FullTimeMeals
Kerridge – who owns the Bull & Bear restaurant at Manchester’s Stock Exchange Hotel – also remembers the value of learning to cook for himself when he was a teenager.
The chef stated: “Marcus has always been one to encourage life skills and cooking is a valuable skill that everyone can embrace and that will see you through the whole of your life.
“If you can engage with food from the start, you can grow, develop and build your own collection of recipes, and enjoy cooking together.
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“This is peeling carrots, peeling potatoes, dicing onions – this isn’t making tagines or braising beef briskets. This is right at the beginning.”
The first Full-Time: Get Cooking video will be released on Sunday 25 April.
Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
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‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
The Manc -
22nd April 2021 
