MARCUS Rashford has praised the move by the Welsh Government to extend the free school meals programme until Easter 2022.

The Manchester United and England striker - and anti-poverty campaigner - took to Twitter to show his support for the decision.

According to first minister Mark Drakeford, more than £23 million will be invested to guarantee free school meals during the holidays in Wales throughout all of 2021, and through to Easter 2022.

"We led the way becoming the first UK nation to fully fund free school meals throughout the holidays," said Mr Drakeford

"In October we went further, guaranteeing that support right up until the Easter holidays of next year.

"This was the right thing to do."

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In response to this latest extension of the programme, Mr Rashford, who was presented with an MBE for his efforts fighting childhood poverty, tweeted: "A great move, congrats."

Mr Drakeford said that the issue of free school meals was not solely about hunger.

"As Marcus Rashford has so passionately demonstrated, it is about saying to those children: “You matter”," he said.

"This isn’t simply about food. Our test now is to deliver that support in the middle of this crisis.

"This is a moment for us to make clear to those children that we believe in them and we will stand by them."