On the field, Marcus Rashford still has plenty to play for.
Aged just 22, the Manchester United star probably has at least a decade’s worth of football ahead of him.
Ample time, you’d imagine, to pick up honours that have so far eluded him.
Premier League, Champions League, and even World Cup Winners’ medals will all be on his agenda. Football has so many prizes to offer Rashford in the exciting years ahead.
But outside of sport, it seems there’s very little else for him to win.
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The striker’s ongoing campaign to end food poverty – which allowed thousands of children to claim free school meal vouchers throughout the summer holidays in the coronavirus pandemic – has seen him earn a place on the cover of British Vogue (for the magazine’s Activism Now edition); an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester; and an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for 2020.
But Rashford now has the task of finding some more room within his rapidly diminishing shelf space.
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The striker has been listed as a trophy recipient in the upcoming Pride of Britain Awards: with Special Recognition.
Rashford is being given the prestigious honour for his continued fight to end child poverty – which has stepped up to a new level this month and captured the imagination of the British public.
The England star’s new campaign, which calls on the government to expand free school meals and increase the value of Healthy Start vouchers to at least £4.25 per week, was voted down in the House of Commons last week.
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But Rashford has already forced Downing Street into one u-turn this year and is hoping to do so again – claiming he is ‘not going anywhere’; with the government coming under increasing pressure to review the request.
Captain Tom Moore will also be celebrated at the Pride of Britain Awards
Rashford, who relied on free school dinners when he was growing up in Manchester, will be one of three Manchester winners at the 2020 Pride of Britain awards.
The others are Dena Murphy – a 92-year-old who has helped 300 ex-offender’s complete community service orders by teaching them allotment gardening – and Child of Courage Emmie Narayn-Nicholas who set up Emmie’s Kitchen after spending 100 nights at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Captain Tom Moore will also be celebrated at the ceremony – after the 99-year-old army veteran raised £27 million for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden.
The Pride of Britain Awards will be broadcast on November 1 on ITV 1.
News
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 -
26th October 2020 
