Marcus Rashford Free Food Scheme

Duration: 2 minutes 22 seconds

Music: Faint background music played throughout.

Intro-

Brief commentary of Rashford scoring a goal- 00.01           

Reporter:

Marcus Rashford’s focus isn’t just on scoring goals anymore.

His plan for free meals for the poorest children in England during half term might have been rejected by the government but he is not giving up.- 00.14

Marcus Rashford:

They’ve definitely not been through it themselves.

For me I’ll take that all day long as long as we start to see improvements going forward. 00.21

Reporter:

And judging by the number of restaurants and cafes that he’s been retweeting all day, others feel the same. 00.27

Allisson:

A healthy sandwich with fruit, a yoghurt and crisps. And a treat aswell. 00.33

Reporter:

Allisson runs a brewery in Salford.

Monday to Friday next week, she’ll be packing up free lunches.

She’s from a big family of seven brothers and four sisters, so this is personal. 00.44

Allisson:

Being on free school meals, as a young child, I guess you don’t really appreciate, I understand.

And that although your parents are not able to provide those three meals a day for you. 00.54

Reporter:

Loads of places are inspired by the striker’s campaign.

Like Mark in Newcastle, who’s opening up their local football club next week.

Their ad says, “No child should go hungry. No judgement. No questions. Just get in touch.”  1.08

Mark:

Sandwiches, crisps, either fruit or yoghurt and a drink.

It’s only so little but to someone it’s massive. 1.17

Reporter:

Same story over in Manchester, where sandwiches and fresh fruits are on offer. Chloe and her team wanted to get involved. 1.26

Chloe:

Cause of everything that’s happened in Parliament over the past couple of days, I think it’s really wrong that children should go without meals during the holidays in such a hard time. 1.35

Reporter:

The campaign did force a government U-turn to offer free meals during the summer in England.

You got a supermarket voucher or headed to a holiday club.

But this time politicians aren’t persuaded. They say they’re already looking after those in need.

Steve Barkley from the Treasury-  1.52

Steve Barkley:

The issue is; what is the best way of getting support to families?

We have done that through the welfare system, the local authorities targeted measures in schools.

And above all, trying to help as many people keep their jobs. 2.00

Outro-

Reporter:

In Wales and Scotland, there’ll be free meals until next Easter. 

Northern Ireland, over this half term.

So there’s pressure on England.

Birmingham, Staffordshire and Kensington and Chelsea’s local authorities have promised to provide vouchers.

For some, it’s the only way. 2.15

Allisson:

We just wanted to come together as a family and do this.

So this just a gift from our family to everybody else’s family. 2.22