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Queen honors Manchester United's Rashford for fighting child poverty

GLYN KIRK / AFP / Getty

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has become an MBE in the Queen's birthday honors list. The distinction is the first class in the Order of the British Empire and only four levels below a knighthood.

The English international, who is just 22, was also named the youngest recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester in July. He is being recognized for his efforts to help disadvantaged families by ensuring their children received free meal vouchers during England's summer vacation and amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Rashford used the news of his latest honor - this time from Queen Elizabeth II - to double down in his fight against child poverty after thanking his mother for raising him through financial hardship.

"I'm incredibly honored and humbled. As a young Black man from Wythenshawe, never did I think I would be receiving an MBE, never mind an MBE at the age of 22," Rashford tweeted on Friday. "This is a very special moment for myself and my family, but particularly my mum who is the real deserving recipient of the honor."

He continued: "I would be doing my community, and 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 honor, 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.

"Another sticking plaster, but one that will give the parents of millions of children in the U.K. just one less thing to worry about.

"Let's stand together in saying that no children in the U.K. should be going to bed hungry. As I have said many times before, no matter your feeling or opinion, not having access to food is NEVER the child's fault."

British prime minister Boris Johnson was planning on halting vouchers during the summer before Rashford's intervention forced the Conservative government to extend the policy. Rashford's initiative meant 1.3 million children were fed school meals during the holidays, rather than facing the fear of going hungry.

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