Marcus Rashford - School Meals Vouchers Campaign

Marcus Rashford - School Meals Vouchers Campaign

Author
Discussion

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,781 posts

209 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Has anyone been watching/reading/listening to his campaign over extending free school meals?

I know a lot of footballers actually do a lot of good charitable work behind the scenes but usually when we read/hear/see it in the media it's because they've done something stupid.

Seems a remarkably grounded lad.

Anyone think we may see a reverse ferret from the Government on this one?

t400ble

1,804 posts

120 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
I dont have an issue with it, as long as we make it a one off

Before th voucer system had been put in place, someone on a local Facebook group complained that the school had been kind enough to send round
a bag containing, bread, cheese etc!


jimothyc

513 posts

83 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Maybe I don't understand the issue properly here. But my understanding is that to qualify for free school meals you need to be in receipt of benefits.

Free school meals aren't normally supplied during the school holidays and the payment of benefits hasn't been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. So why should free school meals continue to be provided during holiday time?

While I appreciate that the cost of providing them is peanuts compared to the furlough scheme. What's the special situation that demands them in this case?

TwigtheWonderkid

43,248 posts

149 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
I like Marcus Rashford, and I like this idea. But, in general, I would be in favour of a law being introduced, that when anyone, from politicians, to sports stars, to musicians, calls for extra funding for something they are passionate about, they have to tell us what they would cut to pay for it.

Then other people who were passionate about the cause that the first person suggested cutting would launch an attack on them for being heartless, and life would be a lot more entertaining. And it might make people realise that just calling for more money for starving kids, homeless kittens, kidney machines or libraries is the easy bit. Balancing the books is trickier.

Voldemort

6,087 posts

277 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
jimothyc said:
Maybe I don't understand the issue properly here. But my understanding is that to qualify for free school meals you need to be in receipt of benefits.

Free school meals aren't normally supplied during the school holidays and the payment of benefits hasn't been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. So why should free school meals continue to be provided during holiday time?

While I appreciate that the cost of providing them is peanuts compared to the furlough scheme. What's the special situation that demands them in this case?
Because 1 starving child is too many.

tribalsurfer

1,136 posts

118 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
jimothyc said:
Maybe I don't understand the issue properly here. But my understanding is that to qualify for free school meals you need to be in receipt of benefits.

Free school meals aren't normally supplied during the school holidays and the payment of benefits hasn't been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. So why should free school meals continue to be provided during holiday time?

While I appreciate that the cost of providing them is peanuts compared to the furlough scheme. What's the special situation that demands them in this case?
I might be wrong on this, but I think this is a residual issue not one created by Covid. The extra pinch on the pursestrings to provide another meal is sometimes the tipping point.

Zirconia

36,010 posts

283 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Been watching this build, it seems odd that they will pull the plug when many people are dropped in it but the support a lot more outside, perhaps just till this is over.

https://twitter.com/MarcusRashford/status/12723028...

snuffy

9,661 posts

283 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
t400ble said:
I dont have an issue with it, as long as we make it a one off
If it happens then it will not be a one-off. Once you have given people something like this it's almost impossible to take it away.




crofty1984

15,830 posts

203 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
snuffy said:
t400ble said:
I dont have an issue with it, as long as we make it a one off
If it happens then it will not be a one-off. Once you have given people something like this it's almost impossible to take it away.
Can you imagine the politician willing to say "Remember how we decided to feed the kiddies? Well we're not doing that now."

s1962a

5,263 posts

161 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
crofty1984 said:
snuffy said:
t400ble said:
I dont have an issue with it, as long as we make it a one off
If it happens then it will not be a one-off. Once you have given people something like this it's almost impossible to take it away.
Can you imagine the politician willing to say "Remember how we decided to feed the kiddies? Well we're not doing that now."
Remember free milk we used to get at schools? Probably showing my age there.

QuartzDad

2,230 posts

121 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I would be in favour of a law being introduced, that when anyone, from politicians, to sports stars, to musicians, calls for extra funding for something they are passionate about, they have to tell us what they would cut to pay for it.
My MP tweeted a similar suggestion a few weeks ago, and this morning tweeted that government spending should be increased to monitor university funding. The irony was strong.

TwigtheWonderkid said:
Then other people who were passionate about the cause that the first person suggested cutting would launch an attack on them for being heartless, and life would be a lot more entertaining.
True, a passionate defence of tax evasion would be entertaining.

untakenname

4,953 posts

191 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
I may be in the minority but I don't see why parents should expect other taxpayers to support their kids?
imo if you can't afford them then don't have them it's the equivalent of buying a high maintenance car and not only expecting others to pay for the servicing but also the fuel.

Those families on free school meals will also be getting income in the form housing benefits and an assortment of other gifts as well so should be able to feed their own children

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-tax-trap-w...



poo at Paul's

14,116 posts

174 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Sadly, for every genuine case that benefits, there will be another who will just be able to buy their fags and booze this week, instead of actually feeding their kids.

When the free school meals ended as canteens were closed, vulnerable kids families were sent vouchers to buy food. There were complaints about not having sandwich boxes, my Tyrone needs a hot meal, even such classics as I need the actual food, not vouchers , why should I have to go out shopping, etc etc, (and in some cases, actual food WAS sent!). Never underestimate the tttishness off the feckless, and sadly there's a fair few more of them out there than most realise.

As for Rashford, I am torn. It seems like a genuine call and case, and I quite like how he is going about it, ie not self promoting, but from someone who earns £200k a week to kick a ball about (or not as has been the case for the last 3 months), I'd like to see him do a little more with his own cash since it is a cause he believes in.
As I say, I am a little torn on it.


snuffy

9,661 posts

283 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
s1962a said:
crofty1984 said:
snuffy said:
t400ble said:
I dont have an issue with it, as long as we make it a one off
If it happens then it will not be a one-off. Once you have given people something like this it's almost impossible to take it away.
Can you imagine the politician willing to say "Remember how we decided to feed the kiddies? Well we're not doing that now."
Remember free milk we used to get at schools? Probably showing my age there.
Maggie Thatcher - Milk Snatcher.

And people still bang on about that, however many years ago that it happened. And there was no Facebook then, so think about what the reaction would be today ?

If kids get free school meals all year round, imagine the facebook reaction if that stopped ? "The Government is actually starving our children - they want them to die !".




V8covin

7,213 posts

192 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
It's a bit rich when a multi millionaire footballer on what,£200,000 a week..... it's an incredible amount of money,it really is...... lectures the government.
How about he gets together with all his millionaire footballing friends to make a donation if he thinks so strongly about it.

Mafffew

2,149 posts

110 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
poo at Paul's said:
As for Rashford, I am torn. It seems like a genuine call and case, and I quite like how he is going about it, ie not self promoting, but from someone who earns £200k a week to kick a ball about (or not as has been the case for the last 3 months), I'd like to see him do a little more with his own cash since it is a cause he believes in.


He has been doing plenty already. He can't do it all by himself, nor should he, it is not his job to ensure the less fortunate of this country are fed.

CardinalBlue

833 posts

76 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
poo at Paul's said:
Sadly, for every genuine case that benefits, there will be another who will just be able to buy their fags and booze this week, instead of actually feeding their kids.

When the free school meals ended as canteens were closed, vulnerable kids families were sent vouchers to buy food. There were complaints about not having sandwich boxes, my Tyrone needs a hot meal, even such classics as I need the actual food, not vouchers , why should I have to go out shopping, etc etc, (and in some cases, actual food WAS sent!). Never underestimate the tttishness off the feckless, and sadly there's a fair few more of them out there than most realise.

As for Rashford, I am torn. It seems like a genuine call and case, and I quite like how he is going about it, ie not self promoting, but from someone who earns £200k a week to kick a ball about (or not as has been the case for the last 3 months), I'd like to see him do a little more with his own cash since it is a cause he believes in.
As I say, I am a little torn on it.

He's helped raise £20M, including donating himself, not sure what more you want him to do?

https://www.premierleague.com/news/1658166

rustyuk

4,568 posts

210 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
My Mrs did some volunteering at my sons old primary school before free meals for all were introduced. She has paid for more than one lunch for the kids there.

The school amazingly refused to feed some of the children as their parents simply never paid and had large debts. From what I understand a few children just stopped asking and stayed outside all lunch. The meals were £2 a day.

Heartbreaking really!

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,781 posts

209 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
V8covin said:
It's a bit rich when a multi millionaire footballer on what,£200,000 a week..... it's an incredible amount of money,it really is...... lectures the government.
How about he gets together with all his millionaire footballing friends to make a donation if he thinks so strongly about it.
I believe he's raised £20M so far.

I'm not sure it's for footballers to ensure kids don't go hungry in 2020 is it?

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

460 posts

77 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
You're correct. It's their parents.