SAN FRANCISCO, October 09, (THEWILL) – The name of Marcus Rashford of Manchester United in the English Premier League has been included in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to vulnerable children in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic.
The England international vowed to continue the fight against child hunger in the United Kingdom even after picking up his Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award.
THEWILL recalls that the United forward successfully lobbied the government to continue its policy of providing free school meals for underprivileged children into the summer months, ensuring vouchers stayed available for the children to feed.
The 22-year-old also collaborated with FareShare, the United Kingdom’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste, to help raise £20million. This sum went into the same objective of providing free meals to those in need during the pandemic. Furthermore, he worked with supermarket chains and food brands to create a taskforce with the goal of confronting the problematic issue of child food poverty.
Rashford went on Twitter to speak of how proud he was to be so honoured but called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to extend the free meals scheme.
“I’m incredibly honoured and humbled,” Rashford began. “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.
“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.
“Another sticking plaster, but one that will give the parents of millions of children in the UK just one less thing to worry about.
“Let’s stand together in saying that no children in the UK should be going to bed hungry. As I have said many times before, no matter your feeling or opinion, not having access to food is NEVER the child’s fault.”
Twice a year a list of the recipients for various honours (the New Year’s honours list and one for The Queen’s birthday honours list in June) are released by Buckingham Palace, often including celebrities, but also normal people who have done extraordinary things. Approximately 1300 people are recognised in each list.
The honours system is a way of giving recognition to those who have made achievements in public life – such as sport, music or acting – or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain and its people, such as charity volunteers.
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The most common honours today are part of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; they were created by George V in 1917 as a way of rewarding civilians and servicemen for their contribution to the war effort.
A person is nominated for their work or achievements. Anyone can choose to put a name forward for consideration, be it a family member, friend, colleague or coach. These names are then reviewed by an official honours committee. The committee is made up of senior civil servants as official members, while the majority are independent members, usually experts in their field. These people also decide which honour would be most appropriate to bestow upon the nominee, be it a knighthood, or OBE etc.
The committee’s decisions are then forwarded to the Prime Minister and then to The Queen, who will often award the honour. Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince William all help in this duty for the ceremonies which take place at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle a few times a year, organised by The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood at St James’s Palace.
Rashford’s award is the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). It is awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community.
THEWILL believes this will have a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
