Marcus Rashford is a true inspiration.
Not only has the Manchester United footballer successfully lobbied the UK government twice regarding free school meals for children — and got them to U-turn on their decisions twice — he’s now launching a book club for kids.
Rashford is partnering with publisher Macmillan Children’s Books to promote reading and literacy to children across the UK. The Marcus Rashford Book Club will recommend the works of emerging young writers and illustrators from all backgrounds.
“I only started reading at 17, and it completely changed my outlook and mentality,” said Rashford in a statement. “We know there are approximately 400,000 children across the UK today who have never owned a book, children who are in vulnerable environments. That has to change.”
As part of the partnership with Macmillan, Rashford will also be publishing a series of books for young readers. The first title is a non-fiction title entitled YOU ARE A CHAMPION: Unlock Your Potential, Find Your Voice and Be the BEST You Can Be, which is about Rashford’s own life and is aimed at young people aged 11 to 16. Written in collaboration with journalist Carl Anka and performance psychologist Katie Warriner, it will publish in May 2021. A further two fiction books aimed for children aged 7+ will publish in 2022.
“Let our children read that they are not alone and enable them to dream,” Rashford continued in his statement. “Equip them for obstacles and adversities they might face. Allow them to relate to the characters by making sure people of all race, religion and gender are depicted correctly and representative of modern society.”
Rashford campaigned to get the government to reverse its decision on food vouchers, so that 1.3 million children in England would be able to claim free school meal vouchers during the six-week summer holidays. After being awarded an MBE for his efforts, Rashford didn’t stop there. He lobbied the government a second time to ensure children would receive free school meals during the winter breaks from school, but the government voted against a motion to feed kids through through the winter holidays until Easter 2021.
Following the government defeat, businesses up and down the country stepped in and provided free meals for kids during the half term holidays. At the start of November, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a second change of heart. Johnson phoned the footballer to let him know the government had come up with a £170m COVID winter grant scheme to extend the free meals programme until Christmas 2021.
Good one, Rashford.