Marcus Rashford-backed charity delivers four meals every second in year of footballer’s support

Footballer and his supporters alone contribute equivalent of 21 million meals, charity says

(AP)

One of the UK’s leading food distribution charities delivered an average of four meals every second to vulnerable people across the country over the last year after partnering with Marcus Rashford in his campaign to tackle the issue of child hunger.

Emergency food access has surged over the course of the pandemic, with a March report from the District Councils’ Network finding more than nine in ten local authorities had seen food bank use rise.

Now Fareshare, the food redistribution charity backed by the England footballer and food poverty campaigner, has revealed the last year of strain on families and individuals across the country has led to them providing food equivalent 128.5 million meals.

The time span marks a year of the charity partnering with the Manchester United striker, who made child food poverty a point of national debate when he began to campaign for expansions to free school meal provisions in March 2020.

The footballer’s campaigning has also prompted government action, forcing a u-turn on plans not to fund free meals that would otherwise be given to children at school during holiday periods.

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His work has also seen him galvanise a group of charitable and corporate interests to promote initiatives tackling the issue, with his Child Food Poverty Taskforce incorporating the likes of The Food Foundation, McDonald’s and Deliveroo.

Fareshare added that Rashford’s efforts alone to fund and drum up support for the charity had managed to pay for the food equivalent of more than 21 million meals.

He said: “It has been a real pleasure being on this challenging but rewarding journey with Fareshare over the last year. The staff, the volunteers and the families I have met have been incredibly supportive and brave with the stories they have shared with me.

“I’ve made no secret of my desire to see the end of hunger and food insecurity but for the need we have right now Fareshare are doing a phenomenal job and I will continue to provide them with as much support as they need.”

The charity’s chief executive, Lindsay Boswell, added: “We can’t believe a whole year has passed since we first joined forces with Marcus Rashford and more recently the taskforce members.

“The impact of the Covid crisis has meant that the need for food support has never been greater, particularly among children and families, but with Marcus as our ambassador, and standing shoulder to shoulder with taskforce members, we have never been better placed to step up to the challenge and support communities in need.”