Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
He’s never forgotten his roots...
Neighbours tell of pride over Marcus
MARCUS Rashford has never forgotten his roots – and a tattoo on his torso shows exactly where his heart lies.
The inking is of a small child playing with a ball beneath a cherry tree.
In the background is the neat terraced home where the England and Manchester United striker grew up.
Children still play on the patch of grass where he practised day and night and where his skills began to blossom.
In the houses all around, residents speak glowingly of the local boy made good who is now waging war on poverty.
Kate Jenner, 31, lives in Marcus’s former family home with her wife Lizzie, 30. The couple had no idea about the famous former resident when they first moved in.
Kate said: “We used to get taxi drivers dropping us off and they’d say, ‘You live in Marcus Rashford’s old house’.”
She soon realised how much the down-to-earth footballer is admired in the community. HR manager Kate said: “People are aware he has those roots in the area and they increasingly ask about it, which is good.
“His old primary school is just down the way and he visits there regularly.
“And with all the work he’s done with food vouchers for the kids, it’s gone down really well around here.”
Kate does not have children but says his campaign is “absolutely fantastic”. She said: “It’s a cracking thing, it’s only right. Parents should be able to put food on the table for the kids.
“He recognises that some parents struggle to do that and need support.
“If they’re getting food vouchers in term-time, why not extend that so it’s not a struggle?”
Kate added: “He’s a good lad, he really is. He just gets it. We’re not
HERO Mirror reveals award struggling st to put food on the th table but we absolutely a understand that th other people across the th country are.
“He understands that. He’s been brought up with that as his lived experience and wants to use his voice and his influence to improve things.” The house in Wythenshawe, Manchester, is still owned by Marcus’s mum Melanie – and he has returned on a couple of occasions for photoshoots, to the delight of residents.
Nextdoor-but-one lives Jan Garvey, 68, and her husband David, 65.
At the mere mention of his name, Jan reaches for one of her proudest possessions, a photo of her and Marcus leaning against the cherry tree.
Jan said: “He’s actually got a tattoo of that tree. He is a fantastic man, everybody around here is so proud of him. He’s a lovely lad.
“When we moved in Marcus had just moved out but he does come back and I had my photo taken with him in his England kit.” Jan added: “He was here
with a film crew, they were doing a documentary about him. I went out and said, ‘Can I have my photo taken with you’. He was kicking a ball about with the local children on the front.
“I think he’s just wonderful. And he hasn’t forgotten his roots.”
She said of the 22-year-old star: “He’s a real inspiration for young people. It shows you can grow up around here
and if you work hard you can do well. He’s a very kind person to do what he’s doing. He doesn’t have to do it does he?”
Jan is one of more than 800,000 people who have now signed Marcus’s online petition demanding an expansion of the free school meals holiday scheme into next year. She said: “I’m fully behind
it, I’m very proud of what he’s doing.
“I think with Marcus and Andy Burnham, we can’t really complain around here.”
Neighbour Anson Stephen, 45, used to watch the young Marcus kicking his ball for hours on end – on the same turf where his sons Jake, nine, and Dominic,
five, now play. He recalled: “Marcus always had a football – at night time, in the morning time.
“He was very dedicated. I remember he was a very nice lad, very focused on his football. All the family were lovely.”
Anson, a legal executive, also backs the player’s efforts to help children across the UK.
He said: “My children don’t have free
school meals but I think it’s a really good idea. Marcus has experienced struggles, so he understands what sort of struggles other children have.
“He’s trying to do something that will really benefit them. People around here are very proud of him.”
Earlier this year Marcus forced the Government to change its policy, allowing 1.4 million children in England to claim free school meal vouchers during the summer holidays.
But in Parliament last week Tories voted down a plan to extend the scheme to include holidays into 2021.
In response, scores of cafes, pubs, local authorities and food charities came forward to offer free food for hungry kids.
Marcus told his 3.6 million Twitter followers: “Blown away by news of local businesses stepping up to fill the voucher scheme deficit during the October half-term.
“Selflessness, kindness, togetherness – this is the England I know.”
In Scotland and Wales, free meals will be provided during school holidays until Easter 2021, while in Northern Ireland they will be provided over the half-term break this month.
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling is planning to launch a foundation aimed at helping disadvantaged young people.
The England international’s charitable body would help those supported by Marcus Rashford.
Sterling, 25, hopes it will improve social mobility, providing university scholarships and work placements.
He’s fantastic, everybody around here is so proud of him. He’s a lovely lad JAN GARVEY NEIGHBOUR TWO DOORS DOWN FROM OLD HOUSE