Footballer Marcus Rashford is among those to receive awards in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours, an annual list dominated this year by frontline workers against the COVID-19 pandemic and community champions.

The 22-year-old Manchester United and England forward who successfully campaigned to extend free school meals this summer, receives an MBE for services to vulnerable children during the pandemic.

Rashford told BBC News that it was obviously a nice moment for him personally but he would use his new position to speak to the Prime Minister personally and get him to agree to extend the scheme through to the Autumn half term

“ I’m incredibly honoured and humbled,” said Marcus. “As a young black man from Wythenshawe, never did I think I would be accepting an MBE, never mind an MBE at the age of 22. This is a very special moment for myself and my family, but particularly my mum who is the real deserving recipient of the honour.” said the striker

“The fight to protect our most vulnerable children is far from over. I would be doing my community, and the families I have met and spoken with, an injustice if I didn’t use this opportunity to respectfully urge the Prime Minister, who recommended me for this honour, to support our children during the October half-term with an extension of the voucher scheme, as the furlough scheme comes to an end and we face increased unemployment.

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