Marcellus Baz

Dr Marcellus Baz
BEM
Born1975 or 1976 (age 50–51)[1]
The Meadows, Nottingham, England
OccupationsSocial entrepreneur, community leader and public speaker. Founder and CEO of Switch Up and The Marcellus Baz Foundation.
Years active2013–present
AwardsBritish Empire Medal; BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award
Websiteswitchupnotts.co.uk/%20/

Marcellus Baz BEM heads charity-based organisations in Nottingham, offering community sports facilities together with outreach to, and mentoring of, young people. In 2016, Baz was named the BBC Get Inspired Unsung Hero at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards for his support of young people in Nottingham, UK. He received the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to youth boxing and the community in Nottingham.[2]

Baz has been interviewed about youth violence,[3] knife crime,[4] and UK drug culture.[5][6] He also completed a TEDxYouth talk in 2018 entitled Your Tribe is Your Vibe.[7]

Early life

Born and raised in The Meadows, Nottingham, Baz's youth was marked by involvement in gangs , substance abuse, and criminal activity. His life transformed when he discovered boxing at a local leisure centre. Despite a promising start, a knife attack ended his boxing career, inspiring him to use sport as a tool for positive change and community impact.

Career

Switch Up has been widely recognised by some of the biggest legends in Sport, including Patrons Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean, former international footballer Des Walker and WBO Featherweight Champion Leigh Wood. Switch Up has also been supported by HRH Prince Harry, who visited the School of Boxing to recognise the positive impact the initiative was making on the lives of young people; and counts other Nottingham-based celebrities amongst its patrons, including TV and film actress, Vicky McClure, and TNT Sports commentator, Darren Fletcher.

Charitable work

Baz registered the Nottingham School of Boxing as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in September 2014.[8] It is the sister organisation of Switch Up,[9] a Community interest company that uses its profits to facilitate sport, mentoring, counselling, education, and to deliver outreach services to young people in Nottinghamshire.

In February 2022,[10] Baz established links with Mansfield District Council to take over a former community sports hall as a boxing gym.[11]

Awards and honours

  • BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Award: 2016[12]
  • 2016 BBC East Midlands Get Inspired Unsung Hero award[1]
  • Sport Nottinghamshire Community Champion of the Year[13]
  • British Empire Medal: 2017[14]
  • 2017 UK Coaching National Community Coach of the Year[15]
  • Ambassador of UK Coaching[16]
  • 2017 Community Coach of the Year, Nottingham Post Sports Awards[17]

References

  1. ^ a b "Unsung Hero finds new boxing school home". BBC News. 9 January 2017.
  2. ^ "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N28.
  3. ^ Walter, Stephen (4 March 2017). "Gangland stabbing victims 'pay vets to stitch up wounds to avoid police over snitch fears'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 20 April 2020.(subscription required)
  4. ^ "Jaden Moodie: Family of murdered 14-year-old deny he had gang links as they warn London's streets are no longer safe for anyone". BBC News. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Middle class drug use". Channel 4. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  6. ^ "From selling drugs to meeting the Queen – one man's extraordinary story | Article | News". UNISON National. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Your tribe is your vibe". TED. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  8. ^ Nottingham School of Boxing Charity number: 1158631 Charity Commission. Retrieved 20 July 2022
  9. ^ SWITCH UP C.I.C. Companies House. Retrieved 21 July 2022
  10. ^ Marcellus Baz to turn Mansfield leisure centre into 'vibrant' community Chad, 23 February 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022
  11. ^ Mansfield celebrates the opening of new community lifeline Mansfield District Council, 6 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022
  12. ^ "Sports Personality 2016: Marcellus Baz wins BBC Unsung Hero award". BBC Sport. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  13. ^ Hunt, Liam (2 February 2017). "ROUND-UP: Who won what at the Nottinghamshire Sport Awards?". Notts TV News.
  14. ^ "Inspiring Nottingham boxing coach among New Year's Honours". The Times. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  15. ^ "Notts coach wins UK Coaching Award". Active Notts. 7 December 2017.
  16. ^ "UK Coaching - Man on a Mission: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Crime". www.ukcoaching.org.
  17. ^ Curtis, Leigh (29 October 2017). "Winning Community Award 'means the world to me' says Marcellus Baz". nottinghampost.
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