How Marcus Rashford stepped up when the government didn’t

Marcus Rashford has helped raise £20 million for free kids meals

At a time of national crisis, a country looks to its politicians for leadership and guidance. Unfortunately, for many, that leadership has been lacking from this Tory government. In this vacuum, others have stepped up, including Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford. When the coronavirus pandemic broke out in the United Kingdom, Cabinet minister Matt Hancock urged footballers to “play their part”. He was criticised for taking a cheap shot at a time when politicians were under fire for their handling of the virus. Months on, British politicians are under even more scrutiny for presiding over a pandemic which has left the UK with the second highest death toll on earth. While politicians have obfuscated over every possible detail of this crisis, Rashford has acted. The coronavirus has seen schools close, leaving many children from poorer families not knowing where their next meal is coming from. As a youngster, Rashford relied on free school meals and after school snacks while his mother worked, and he was eager to make a difference. On March 19 he asked his more than 8 million followers to support a charity called FareShare, which distributes free food to children at schools, community centres and breakfast clubs. “No child should have to worry where their next meal is coming from,” he said. https://twitter.com/FootballJOE/status/1271510550116274177?s=20