Hatters supporting Marcus Rashford's free school meals campaign

Luton Town are supporting Manchester United and England's Marcus Rashford's campaign to get free meals for children during the half-term holiday.

After a campaign led by Rashford earlier this year, the government changed its policy to allow 1.3 million children in England claim free school meal vouchers during the summer holidays.

However, with the government ruling ruled out extending the meals beyond term time, despite calls from Rashford to do so, a statement on the Hatters' official website said: "Luton Town Football Club is fully behind Manchester United and England striker Marcus Rashford’s call for the provision of free school meals to be extended into the school holidays.

"The Hatters firmly believe that child poverty has to be eradicated and have actively supported initiatives to assist this in our town and locally, as evidenced by our recent charity partnership with Level Trust, our continued support to Luton Foodbank and our long-standing commitment to the Real Living Wage.

"As such, we have arranged for 250 meals per day next week to be available for the pupils of St Matthew’s Primary School in Luton.

"All meals provided by the club will be, free of charge, prepared by our pre-tested chefs with ingredients appropriate for all, nutritious and healthy, based upon lunches supplied to our professional athletes.

"Any food that is left over will be taken to another of our club charity partners, Luton Foodbank, to be distributed to the wider population in the town.

"The initiative comes in the week that a motion on providing 1.4m disadvantaged children with £15-a-week food vouchers during holidays until Easter next year was voted down by Government.

"Rashford has heroically been campaigning on the issue in recent months and was recently made an MBE for his efforts.

"LTFC fully supports Marcus in his work.

"Details on distribution of the meals will be shared with those eligible at St Matthew’s by Monday, with further information to follow on club channels and the Foodbank’s."