Bedford Mayor thanks Marcus Rashford over school meals campaign

Bedford Borough Mayor Dave Hodgson has thanked footballer Marcus Rashford for forcing Boris Johnson to perform a u-turn over free school meals.

The Prime Minister announced on Tuesday that the scheme would continue after schools break up in July following Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford school meals campaign.

During the coronavirus lockdown the government is providing vouchers to families whose children qualify for free meals. But it had insisted this would not continue outside of term time. This prompted the footballer to pen an open letter to MPs.

Children entitled to free school meals will now be provided with meal vouchers over the summer.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “I would like to thank Marcus Rashford and other campaigners for ensuring that some of the most vulnerable children will now be able to have nutritional meals this summer.

"There are many children in Bedford Borough who may be eligible for free school meals and the vouchers for the summer and I would urge all families to check if their children are eligible, especially if their circumstances have changed since the Coronavirus pandemic.”

You can check if you child is eligible by reading the Council’s guidance and application process online.