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.
The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades
Daisy Jackson
The Strokes are finally set to return to Manchester for the first time in years, announcing a huge arena show today.
The iconic indie rockers have shared details of a new European tour, which includes a night at the massive Co-op Live arena here in Manchester.
The news comes hot off the heels of their celebrated Coachella set over the weekend.
The Reality Awaits Tour, named after their upcoming seventh studio album, will take The Strokes to Manchester as well as London and Newcastle, plus several cities across Europe.
The Strokes broke into the industry back in 2001 with their seminal debut album Is This It, which spawned massive indie anthems like Last Nite, Hard To Explain, and Sometimes.
Since then, they’ve released six studio albums, all of which have climbed into the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
You can expect to hear all sorts of fan favourites, like Reptilia, Juicebox, and You Only Live Once, plus new music including their latest single The New Abnormal.
Co-op Live said: “This is set to be an unmissable show as they come to Co-op Live for the first time and we can’t wait!”
Last time The Strokes played in Manchester, it was at the O2 Apollo way back in 2006 – the same year they supported Foo Fighters at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
They played Lytham Festival more recently, but haven’t ventured back into Manchester itself since.
The Strokes will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on 26 October 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 17 April HERE, with a number of pre-sales beginning from Wednesday 15 April.
Manchester Museum to close much-loved section for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has announced that it’s planning to close of its best-loved exhibitions.
Thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Manchester Museum is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium.
The Vivarium has sat at the heart of Manchester Museum for more than 60 years, and is a centre for globally-significant conservation projects, caring for around 30 different amphibian and reptile species – many of which are critically endangered – in a bid to inspire generations of visitors.
Thanks to a pioneering partnership with Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, which is just one of many projects designed to safeguard the future of endangered species and develop learning programmes that raise awareness of threats to biodiversity, Manchester Museum houses the world’s only captive ‘back-up’ population – which is why the redevelopment of the Vivarium is so important.
The funding grant will help to ‘revitalise’ public displays, and create new state-of-the art facilities and bespoke naturalistic environments for the amphibian and reptile species cared for by the Vivarium.
It will also allow the development of dedicated facilities for schools, teaching, and visiting tour groups, which the Museum hopes will ‘further enhance’ the gallery’s potential for learning.
During the redevelopment – which has been named the ‘Habitats of Hope’ project – new permanent displays will also be created that explore the connections between its wider collections and the animals it cares for.
Manchester Museum is set to close one of its much-loved sections for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment / Credit: Supplied
“Habitats of Hope speaks to how wonderful and how vulnerable the world’s rarest amphibians are” commented Georgina Young, who is the Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Manchester Museum.
“Major investment means Manchester Museum can match the highest standards of animal care with a more accessible visitor experience, while weaving stories of research, conservation, partnership and action that stretch from thriving ponds in Manchester to hyper-biodiverse ecosystems in Costa Rica and Panama.”
The Manc -
22nd April 2021 
