Manchester United forward, Marcus Rashford has been awarded ‘The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire’ (MBE) for his effort to feed vulnerable children in the United Kingdom.
The 24-year-old England international spent the best of the coronavirus lockdown period (March and June 2020) generating support for children in need of food.
His campaign for the vulnerable children influenced the British government to change its policy over its free school meals vouchers during the lockdown.
Even after that, Marcus Rashford continued with his campaign to keep supporting the vulnerable children by forming a child food poverty task force. The task force went into partnership with some of the biggest supermarkets and food brands in the UK to get food for vulnerable children.
These efforts earned Rashford the prestigious MBE, which is a national award, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations, and public service outside the civil service.
He has been named MBE for months but the actual investiture ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 9 at Windsor Castle. He received the national award from the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William.
Marcus Rashford was accompanied to the event by his mother, Melanie, who he described as a “huge inspiration”.
After the football star had received the award, he spoke to reporters about his mother and some of the discussions he had with Prince William during the ceremony.
About his mother, Marcus Rashford revealed that his mother is a single parent who raised him and four other children all by herself.
The football star said though life was hard for him and his other siblings, that of her mother was harder. Hence, any award he receives which is related to Charitable gestures, he always keeps the award at his mother’s house.
“Everyone knows my story of growing up, but you have to remember I have two brothers and two sisters all older than me, and she’s a single parent throughout the whole way of that”, Rashford said.
“However bad it is for us, it’s 10 times worse for her, so any awards I’ve got for the charitable things I’ve done, they’re all at her house and this one will go there as well.”
A shining example to all of us 🌟
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 9, 2021
Dr Marcus Rashford MBE everybody 🎖👏#MUFC pic.twitter.com/dEVSzr1p8l
On his interaction with Prince William, the Manchester United forward said he and the prince discussed the support the England national team got from the fans after the Euro 2020 which the country lost to Italy on July 11, 2021.
Rashford also revealed that the Prince asked him about his campaign and what else he intends to do.
“We were speaking about football actually”, the football star said. “Just speaking about the Euros and what it was like after, how good it was to see everyone come together and support the team.
“Other than the football we were speaking about the campaign, how pleased he is that I started it and what’s next.”
Marcus Rashford MBE 🏅
— England (@England) November 9, 2021
We're so proud of you, @MarcusRashford! pic.twitter.com/mskO9684Jg
At the end of his interaction with reporters, Marcus Rashford expressed the hope that there would no longer be vulnerable children in the UK to campaign for before he retires from football.
🗣️ "Hopefully everything should be in place by the time I retire."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 9, 2021
Marcus Rashford said there is still a lot of work to be done to help vulnerable children in the country and vowed to keep his campaign going after receiving his MBE. pic.twitter.com/xc8qVWeEZn
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