Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford is set to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester this summer.
The 22-year-old forward will become the youngest person to receive the highest honour from the university which is “for his remarkable campaign against child poverty off the field and outstanding sporting achievements on the pitch.”
Last month, Rashford forced the government to reverse its decision to discontinue its free school meal voucher scheme for children in England during the summer holidays.
Speaking on receiving the honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester – which has previously been awarded to figures such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton – Rashford said: “It’s a proud day for myself and my family. When you look at the great names that have been awarded this doctorate in the past, it’s humbling.
“We still have a long way to go in the fight to combat child poverty in this country but receiving recognition from your city means we are heading in the right direction and that means a lot.”
News of Rashford’s honorary doctorate comes after he was honoured with a special award to recognise his efforts to help raise over £20 million for poverty and food waste charity, FareShare, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.