Marcus Rashford is planning to release his first children’s novel next year, and he’s drawing on his own childhood for inspiration.
Following on from the release of his first, non-fiction book You Are A Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be – which he wrote with sports journalist Carl Anka, and went on to top the bestseller charts with – as well as launching his very-own book club back in November 2020 to show kids “the power of reading”, Rashford’s new illustrated novel, titled ‘The Breakfast Club Adventures’, is aimed at eight to 11-year-olds.
The story will follow the adventures of the 12-year-old Marcus and his “group of unlikely friends” from their school’s breakfast club, said publisher Macmillan Children’s Books.
It will draw on 23-year-old Rashford’s own experiences at breakfast clubs growing up.
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The Wythenshaw-born Manchester United and England star has spoken candidly in the past about how his family relied on breakfast clubs and free school meals when he was growing up, and last year, as part of his ongoing campaigning to end child food poverty, backed a cross-party parliamentary bill to fund free breakfast provision in schools.
Rashford is teaming up with award-winning author Alex Falase-Koya – who took home the Spread the Word’s London’s Writers Awards in 2019, and is the author of the forthcoming superhero series ‘Marv’ – to write the new novel.
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Excited to announce the release of my first fiction book ‘The Breakfast Club Adventures’ coming May 2022 📚
Aimed at 8-11 year olds, the book is co-written with the brilliant @AlexFKoya and published by @MacmillanKidsUK
Speaking ahead of the launch of the novel, Rashford said: “I wanted to create something that really captured the true spirit of breakfast club [as] outside of making sure we got the best start to our days with cereal, toast and juice, it was where my friendships were made.
“Where we could just lose ourselves – a safe haven.”
“Breakfast club was where some of my greatest memories were formed, where we talked about our dreams and where adventures were planned, and it was important for me that we captured that in my first fiction book.”
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He added: “Alex is a great writer who is able to capture that brilliantly and I’m thrilled that he’s on this journey with me.”
Falase-Koya also said he was “very excited” to be working with Rashford, adding: “Books changed my life when I was a kid, making me take a closer look at the things around me and taking me to worlds far from my own [and] I hope that this book gets the opportunity to do the same for other people.”
The Breakfast Club Adventures will be published in May 2022.
Featured Image – Twitter (@MarcusRashford)
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People are literally travelling across the country to work out at this absolutely massive gym
Daisy Jackson
The UK’s largest 24/7 gym is here in the north west of England – and it’s so remarkable, people are genuinely travelling across the country to visit it.
Dedicated Supergym also claims to have the longest dumbbell rack in the world, with weights ranging from 3kg to 150kg, going up in 1kg increments.
Although it’s been open for a few years already, the massive fitness facility keeps going viral on TikTok.
Credit: Facebook, Dedicated Supergym
Fitness influencers and weightlifting enthusiasts alike have been flocking to the north west to visit its two sites – one in Liverpool and one on The Wirral – where there are rows upon rows of squat racks, machines and free weights.
In one video, fitness influencer couple Gregor and Hattie described it as ‘heaven’, adding: “This place is unreal.”
“I won’t even lie, I’m so happy to give this gym like a 10 out of 10. This is the exact type of gym that I’ve always wanted to train at.”
As well as its insane selection of weights and machines, Dedicated Supergym has plenty of cardio equipment too, including assault bikes, stair masters, treadmills, rowers, ski ergs and cross trainers.
Featured image: Facebook, Dedicated Supergym
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Greater Manchester to get 2,000 small wind turbines that provide more ‘affordable energy’
Emily Sergeant
An ambitious new project will see thousands of small wind turbines installed across Greater Manchester to provide “more affordable energy”.
Set to be delivered by a partnership of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the Energy Innovation Agency, and the Manchester Inward Investment Agency, and alongside renewable energy manufacturers Alpha 311, Greater Manchester could soon become home to 2,000 wind turbine units as part of the region’s carbon reduction plan.
The wind turbines are powered by the air moved by passing vehicles, and will be put on buildings and lampposts, according to BBC News.
Alpha 311 said the turbines’ size could even see small sites become wind farms.
The manufacturer said the units were smaller and lighter than the type of wind turbines we are used to seeing on hills and in the countryside across the UK, or off-shore turbines, and it means they can be used on roads, bridges, buildings, and towers.
Most-notably, turbines expected to be the same or similar to the ones on their way to Greater Manchester have been installed next to the O2 Arena in London.
Thousands of small wind turbines could be installed across Greater Manchester to provide “more affordable energy” / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said he was looking forward to seeing the “innovative wind turbines” in action as they could “see us generate more low carbon energy locally”, and crucially, “provide more affordable energy” at a time when people in the region “need it most”.
“The switch to net-zero carbon can, and should, be something that offers a fairer future, as well as a greener one,” Mr Burnham explained.
Mr Burnham said the partnership would also support the creation of 200 new jobs.
The cost of the project has not yet been revealed, but it’s thought they could begin being installed across the region should an initial pilot using the street turbines that’s set to start in Telford later in the year be successful.
The turbines in the pilot trial will be used to power streets lights, and any surplus energy will be sent back to the National Grid.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd December 2021 
