With a renewed commitment to supporting the next generation of dreamers and changemakers, Manchester United footballer and trailblazing youth campaigner Marcus Rashford MBE has teamed up with Burberry to provide literary resources to underfunded areas across the UK with the National Literacy Trust.

Having already spearheaded a historic government u-turn on free meals for kids when lockdown forced schools to close all over the country, life post-pandemic saw Rashford identify a real need for youth-centred safe spaces for children to come and unwind, process their feelings and soak their teeth into a story or two. 

“Far too many children do not currently have access to books, typically because of financial restraints, and there was a need to inspire them and allow them to see beyond the challenges they face daily,” says Rashford of the initiative, which is set to positively impact the lives of over 3,500 schoolkids. “These children need the escapism of reading more than most, and access to books should not be restricted by the area you grow up in.”

Building upon the work of his the Marcus Rashford Book Club, Burberry will be supporting the National Literacy Trust by funding the transformation of library spaces across Manchester, Yorkshire and London, in addition to donating over 8,000 books to the ten schools taking part in the programme. The selection has been curated by the NLT, Macmillan Children’s Books and a whole host of publishers, all hoping to foster a diverse and inclusive environment of learning with a vast selection of illustrated, award-winning fiction and non-fiction titles.

“This has been a really rewarding process and I’m thankful to Burberry for continuing to stand with me on this journey to better underserved communities and offer real opportunity,” says Rashford. “It’s never a no, it’s only a how.”

In related news: this year saw Rashford release his own chart-topping book (co-written by sports writer Carl Anka) titled, You Are a Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be. A guide for young people, the book sees Rashford share stories from his own life in the hope that it encourages and inspires the next generation to follow their dreams.

Learn more about Burberry’s global vision for literacy here.