Marcus Rashford has urged the Prime Minister to do more in the fight against child food poverty after becoming an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours.
The Manchester United and England star has been recognised for his work in feeding underprivileged children, which included forcing Boris Johnson into a U-turn over providing free school meal vouchers for 1.3million kids during the summer holidays.
However, Rashford fears that an even greater crisis is looming — with the end of the Government's furlough scheme threatening mass unemployment that could leave families without food — and he wants Mr Johnson to extend the voucher system over the October half-term break.
'I'm incredibly honoured and humbled,' Rashford said.
'As a young black man from Wythenshawe, never did I think I would be accepting an MBE, never mind an MBE at the age of 22.
'This is a very special moment for myself and my family, but particularly my mum who is the real deserving recipient of the honour.
'The fight to protect our most vulnerable children is far from over. I would be doing the families I have met and spoken with an injustice if I didn't use this opportunity to respectfully urge the Prime Minister, who recommended me for this honour, to support our children during the October half-term with an extension of the voucher scheme, as the furlough scheme comes to an end and we face increased unemployment.
'It's another sticking plaster, but one that will give the parents of millions of children just one less thing to worry about.
'Let's stand together in saying that no children in the UK should be going to bed hungry. Not having access to food is never the child's fault.'
Rashford's appeal came as it emerged that 900,000 more kids have been registered for free school meals during the pandemic.