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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Marcellus Baz? Cell-us-ly unknown.

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marcellus Baz
BEM
Born1975 or 1976 (age 50–51)[1]
The Meadows, Nottingham, England
OccupationsFounder and CEO of Switch Up and Nottingham School of Boxing, Public Speaker
Years active2013–present
AwardsBritish Empire Medal; BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award
Websitewww.marcellusbaz.co.uk

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] In 2025, he was listed in The Big Issue's Top 100 Changemakers for Culture and Sport. [3]

Baz has been interviewed about youth violence,[4] knife crime,[5] and UK drug culture.[6][7] He also completed a TEDxYouth talk in 2018 entitled Your Tribe is Your Vibe.[8]

Baz founded Switch Up,[9] a community interest company with 35 staff focused on mentoring, education, and employability for young people, particularly those not in education, training, or employment (NEET). The organisation combines boxing with personal development, counselling, and life skills training to empower youth and reduce engagement with crime.

Early life

[edit]

Baz was born and raised in The Meadows, Nottingham. In his youth, he was involved in gangs[10], substance abuse and criminal activity. After discovering boxing at a local leisure centre and pursuing the sport, a knife attack ended his career, inspiring him to use sport as a tool for positive change and community impact.

Career

[edit]

Baz registered the Nottingham School of Boxing as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in September 2014.[11], which has since been renamed The Marcellus Baz Foundation. It is the sister organisation of Switch Up,[12] a Community interest company that uses its profits to facilitate sport, mentoring, counselling, education, and to deliver outreach services to young people in Nottinghamshire.

The foundation now includes the Nottingham School of Boxing and the Mansfield School of Boxing, providing safe spaces for young people to engage in boxing, personal development, and community support activities.  [13]

In February 2022,[14] Baz established links with Mansfield District Council to take over a former community sports hall as a boxing gym.[15]

Switch Up's patrons include Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean, Vicky McClure, Darren Fletches, Des Walker and Leigh Wood. HRH Prince Harry also visited[16] the School of Boxing in 2015 to recognise the impact the charity has had on the lives of young people.

As sport is a central part of Switch up, the charity has formed mentoring and youth engagement partnerships with Nottingham Panthers[17], Nottingham Forest FC[18] and Notts County FC[19], using sport as a way to build confidence, discipline and community connection.

His philanthropy has also taken him around the globe to LA, Brazil, Norway, Denmark and Canada, attending conferences on violence and gang prevention, speakership at TEDX, and working with dignitaries to replicate his community programme in other locations.  [20][21][22][23]

Awards and honours

[edit]
  • BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Award: 2016[24]
  • 2016 BBC East Midlands Get Inspired Unsung Hero award[1]
  • Sport Nottinghamshire Community Champion of the Year[25]
  • British Empire Medal: 2017[26]
  • 2017 UK Coaching National Community Coach of the Year[27]
  • Ambassador of UK Coaching[28]
  • 2017 Community Coach of the Year, Nottingham Post Sports Awards[29]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "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. ↑ Issue, The Big (16 February 2026). "Big Issue's 100 Changemakers of 2026: Culture and sport". Big Issue. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  4. ↑ 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)
  5. ↑ "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.[better source needed]
  6. ↑ "Middle class drug use". Channel 4. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "From selling drugs to meeting the Queen – one man's extraordinary story | Article | News". UNISON National. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  8. ↑ "Your tribe is your vibe". TED. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  9. ↑ "Nottingham charity Switch Up warns it urgently needs more support to help stop cycle of knife crime – Notts TV News | The heart of Nottingham news coverage for Notts TV". Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Walter, Stephen (4 March 2017). "Gangland stabbing victims 'pay vets to stitch up wounds to avoid police over snitch fears'". The Telegraph.
  11. ↑ Nottingham School of Boxing Charity number: 1158631 Charity Commission. Retrieved 20 July 2022
  12. ↑ SWITCH UP C.I.C. Companies House. Retrieved 21 July 2022
  13. ↑ Cherry-Downes, Lisa. "Mansfield celebrates the opening of new community lifeline". Mansfield District Council. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Marcellus Baz to turn Mansfield leisure centre into 'vibrant' community Chad, 23 February 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022
  15. ↑ Mansfield celebrates the opening of new community lifeline Mansfield District Council, 6 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022
  16. ↑ Marcellus Baz (18 December 2015). Prince Harry tries a spot of boxing with Nottingham School Of Boxing Switch Up. Retrieved 8 July 2026 – via YouTube.
  17. ↑ "NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS CHARITIES: 2025-26 SEASON - Nottingham Panthers". www.panthers.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  18. ↑ www.nottinghamforest.co.uk https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2025/august/15/Club-launches--Magic-Moments--to-support-children---young-people-most-in-need/. Retrieved 7 July 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ www.nottscountyfc.co.uk https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2025/december/18/switch-up--dennis-becomes-ambassador/. Retrieved 7 July 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ Walker, Tracy (9 August 2017). "Boxing coach Marcellus Baz off to LA to speak on gang crime". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Nottingham boxing coach visits gang-controlled Brazilian favelas – Notts TV News | The heart of Nottingham news coverage for Notts TV". Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Switch Up: Breaking the cycle of violence | Connectsport". connectsport.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "Switch Up: Breaking the cycle of violence | Connectsport". connectsport.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Sports Personality 2016: Marcellus Baz wins BBC Unsung Hero award". BBC Sport. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  25. ↑ Hunt, Liam (2 February 2017). "ROUND-UP: Who won what at the Nottinghamshire Sport Awards?". Notts TV News.
  26. ↑ "Inspiring Nottingham boxing coach among New Year's Honours". The Times. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  27. ↑ "Notts coach wins UK Coaching Award". Active Notts. 7 December 2017.
  28. ↑ "UK Coaching - Man on a Mission: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Crime". www.ukcoaching.org.
  29. ↑ Curtis, Leigh (29 October 2017). "Winning Community Award 'means the world to me' says Marcellus Baz". nottinghampost.
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