Marcus Rashford says he wants to “kill the stigma” associated with asking for support with food and resources.
The Manchester United star appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to discuss his ongoing campaign to support children from low-income backgrounds.
The 22-year-old battled against MPs to win the right for free school meals to continue across the summer, and has now united Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Aldi with Deliveroo and charity FairShare to create a taskforce with a long-term vision to prevent child poverty in the UK.
Speaking with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on ITV, Rashford has said he’s managed to sit with some of the families he’s helped over the past few weeks, and he reiterated the importance of providing support to those who need it most.
'I'm driven to help as much as I can.'
Man Utd star Marcus Rashford is backing proposals to expand free school meals following his inspirational campaigning over the summer ?
Now, the footballer is encouraging anyone who might be struggling to come forward.
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“If someone is in a position to help you should be comfortable to ask, we need people to ask for help to get them the help that they need,” Rashford explained.
“I really wanted to kill the stigma of asking for help. I want it to die.”
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Rashford also emphasised some of the dangers associated with children not being well-fed.
“If you’re not eating you’ve got no energy, you don’t feel comfortable going to school.
“[Children affected] just sleep all day because they’re physically drained.
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“It can be the beginning of homelessness or crime.”
He added: “My mum never got that help when she was younger.
“It just drives me more to to help as much as I can.”
The footballer also responded to a tweet by Tory MP Kevin Holinrake earlier this month, who claimed it was a “parent’s job to feed their children.”
Rashford urged the politician “to talk to families before tweeting.”
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“To this day I haven’t met one parent who hasn’t wanted or felt the responsibility to feed their children…” he added.
I would urge you to talk to families before tweeting. To this day I haven’t met one parent who hasn’t wanted or felt the responsibility to feed their children… https://t.co/J72VyRazbF
Rashford’s taskforce is endorsing three policy recommendations of the National Food Strategy.
These include the expansion of free school meals to every child from a household on universal credit or equivalent; the expansion of holiday provision (food and activities) to support all children on free school meals; and increasing the value of Healthy Start Vouchers to £4.25 a week up from £3.10.
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Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
The Manc -
14th September 2020 
