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.
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Manchester GPs can now ‘prescribe’ cost of living support to residents
Emily Sergeant
GPs are now able to offer prescription-style support with the cost of living to residents in Manchester.
It’s no secret that the cost of living crisis has, unfortunately, been continuing to make itself known across the country for the past couple of years, and despite recent Government intervention in the form of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s series of ‘everyday fixes’, it sadly doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
But now it’s been revealed that Greater Manchester residents can be ‘prescribed’ cost of living support when they visit their local GP.
For patients who patients need help with bills, debts, benefits, or affording food, GPs can now provide them with details of Manchester’s free cost of living advice line.
That means that, for anyone whose mental or physical health is being affected by financial worries, GPs can simply tear a page that contains all the details they need for the advice line from a block that looks like a prescription pad, and hand it to the patient.
Alternatively, the GP can also ‘refer’ the patient straight into the service online in a similar way to making a referral to a specialist or consultant.
Manchester GPs can now ‘prescribe’ cost of living support to residents / Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya | Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
Once a resident makes contact with the free cost of living advice line – which started back in October 2022, and has helped thousands of people since – they can receive a wide range of advice on issues like energy costs and rent, to help with getting online, and so much more.
The Council also says that recent figures show there is an increasing number of calls or requests around help with rent or benefits and support with food or foodbanks, which is why it has chosen to introduce this ‘innovate’ move.
“We don’t want anyone to feel like they are becoming lost under competing financial pressures, worries about putting food on the table, or keeping a roof over their heads,” commented Cllr Tracey Rawlins, who is the Deputy Leader at Manchester City Council.
“We really want to help before worries become a problem,” she added. “The team on the advice line keep all information in confidence and they want to help.”
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Teenage boy rushed to hospital after third Manchester Arndale stabbing this month
Daisy Jackson
A teenage boy has been taken to hospital with potentially life-changing injuries after a reported stabbing outside Manchester Arndale.
It’s the third time this month that a knife attack has taken place at the popular shopping centre, in the heart of the city.
Two other teenage boys, aged 16 and 14, have been arrested on suspicion of affray – they remain in custody for questioning.
The teenage boy who was found on Market Street after reports of a stabbing was taken to hospital with injuries that may be life-threatening.
A huge police response was pictured outside Manchester Arndale last night, with a lift outside Rollers Cafe cordoned off.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Officers responded to reports of a stabbing on Market Street outside the Arndale Centre at 7pm last night (October 27, 2026). A teenage boy was found and taken to hospital with potentially life-changing injuries.
“Two boys, aged 16 and 14, have been arrested on suspicion of affray and remain in custody for questioning. Inquiries are ongoing.”
It’s the third incident involving knives at the Manchester Arndale in the last fortnight.
On 17 October, a 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital with stab wound injuries after an attack in the Manchester Arndale car park.
Two other 14-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
Then on 24 October, emergency services were called to reports of an assault involving a knife, with two teenagers again arrested.
The Manc -
26th October 2020 
