Marcus Rashford gets MBE from Prince William and dedicates the honour to his mum
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Rashford was honoured by the prince in front of his mother Melanie
Footballer Marcus Rashford has received a special honour at Windsor castle which he has dedicated to his mum.
The Manchester United striker was awarded an MBE by Prince William for his campaigning work to make sure school pupils in need received meals across the summer during the pandemic.
Marcus Rashford said he would give the MBE to his mum, Melanie Maynard, who raised him and his siblings.
Rashford also said he would carry on campaigning on behalf of vulnerable children.
In 2020 Rashford spoke about his own childhood saying: "My mum worked full-time, earning minimum wage to make sure we always had a good evening meal on the table.
"But it was not enough. The system was not built for families like mine to succeed, regardless of how hard my mum worked."
Rashford's mother Melanie has also received recognition for her work around food poverty
Speaking after the ceremony Rashford said he would carry on campaigning to "give children the things I didn't have when I was kid".
"For me, it is a punishment for them not to be getting things like meals or supplies of books," he added.
The footballer, who plays for England, started a campaign in June 2020 to help feed the UK's most vulnerable children.
His campaign prompted the government to change its mind and continue a food voucher scheme in England during the summer holidays. In September 2021 he called for long-term funding for a food programme in the holidays and for free school meals to be expanded.
Marcus Rashford was named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in October 2020. The honours recognise people for their amazing achievements or service to the country.
What do you think about the special honour? What words of congratulations would you say to Marcus? Let us know in the comments
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