Manchester United star Marcus Rashford receives special award at Sports Personality of the Year show
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ByEurosport
Updated 21/12/2020 at 02:14 GMT
It has been a remarkable year for Marcus Rashford. The England forward has already been awarded a MBE for his work getting school meals for children. And now he has received an Expert Panel Special Award at Sports Personality of the Year for his campaigning.
Credit: @MarcusRashford
Image credit: Eurosport
Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford has received a special award at the Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony.
Rashford, 23, campaigned for the government to extend free school meals during the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result of Rashford's campaigning around 1.3 million school children were able to claim free school meals during the holidays and the government announced a new £400m policy to help support poor families.
The BBC voting panel agreed that Rashford, who was awarded an MBE for his work, deserved a special award for what he had done away from football given that the Sports Personality of the Year award is for sporting achievement.
Rashford spoke of difficulties he had faced growing up as he received the award.
"Growing up as a kid I felt like I started 50m behind everyone else in a 100m race. It was more difficult for me to do basic things like eat the right things or get to training. It was a nightmare situation," Rashford said to the BBC.
When I got to where I wanted to be I always had something inside me saying to 'make sure you make a difference for the next generation'. I think as a country we should support children and give them the best chance at life and let them become anything they want to become.
"The award will sit in [my mum's] house because in difficult circumstances she brought me up to be a person who has morals."
The BBC have also confirmed they are producing a documentary on Rashford and his community work.
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