Marcus Rashford launches petition to end child food poverty

The England International footballer, who was awarded an MBE last weekend for his work with vulnerable children, is calling on the Government to support three recommendations covered in the National Food Strategy as part of an ‘urgent recovery package’ for vulnerable children this Autumn.

The #endchildfoodpoverty campaign is supported by the Child Food Poverty Task Force which was formed by Marcus Rashford, a further 20 charities, and key names in the food industry. 

The recommendations are:

Mr Rashford successfully lobbied the Government into a U-turn over its free school meals policy during lockdown. But data from the Food Foundation, released today, shows that 1.4 million children (18 per cent) reported experiences of food insecurity over the summer holidays. This included being hungry because of lack of food at home; eating less to make food last longer; lack of money to buy more food and parents not eating because of lack of food at home.

Concerns are being raised over how children will be affected in the Autumn, with 6.3 per cent of children reporting being worried about going hungry during the October half term.

Mr Rashford, said, ‘For too long this conversation has been delayed. Child food poverty in the UK is not a result of Covid-19. We must act with urgency to stabilise the households of our vulnerable children.