Marcellus Baz
{{short description|British sports administrator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{COI|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Marcellus Baz
| honorific_suffix = BEM
| caption =
| image =
| imagesize = 210px
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |41|2017|1|9}}
| birth_place = The Meadows, Nottingham, England
| occupation = Founder and CEO of Switch Up and Nottingham School of Boxing, Public Speaker
| yearsactive = 2013–present
| awards = British Empire Medal; BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award
| website = {{URL|http://www.marcellusbaz.co.uk/}}
}}
Marcellus Baz {{postnominals|country=GBR|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.{{London Gazette |issue= 61803 |date=31 December 2016 |pages=N28 |supp=y}}
Baz has been interviewed about youth violence,{{Cite news|last=Walter|first=Stephen|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/04/gangland-stabbing-victims-pay-vets-stitch-wounds-avoid-police/|title=Gangland stabbing victims 'pay vets to stitch up wounds to avoid police over snitch fears'|date=2017-03-04|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2020-04-20|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{subscription required}} knife crime,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46818277|title=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|last=|first=|work=BBC News|date=11 January 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}{{better source needed|date=July 2022|reason=Trivial mention only, Baz is quoted for two words only in context of one sentence}} and UK drug culture.{{Cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/news/former-drug-dealer-on-middle-class-drug-use-we-need-to-educate-the-middle-classes-on-the-impact-this-is-having-on-peoples-lives-kids-are-dying-out-there|title=Middle class drug use|last=|first=|date=8 June 2019|website=Channel 4|language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2018/10/selling-drugs-meeting-queen-one-mans-extraordinary-story/|title=From selling drugs to meeting the Queen – one man's extraordinary story {{!}} Article {{!}} News|date=2018-10-12|website=UNISON National|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-20}} He also completed a TEDxYouth talk in 2018 entitled Your Tribe is Your Vibe.{{cite web |title=Your tribe is your vibe |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/marcellus_baz_marcellus_baz_bem_your_tribe_is_your_vibe |website=TED |accessdate=7 July 2020 |language=en}}
Early life
Baz was born and raised in The Meadows, Nottingham. As a youth he spent a lot of his time on the streets and soon turned to selling drugs and carrying weapons. He took up boxing at a leisure centre, however hand injuries from a knife attack ended his chance at a boxing career.
Charitable work
Baz registered the Nottingham School of Boxing as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in September 2014.[https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5050270 Nottingham School of Boxing Charity number: 1158631] Charity Commission. Retrieved 20 July 2022 It is the sister organisation of Switch Up,[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08522643 SWITCH UP C.I.C.] Companies House. Retrieved 21 July 2022 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,[https://www.chad.co.uk/news/people/marcellus-baz-to-turn-mansfield-leisure-centre-into-vibrant-community-hub-3580335 Marcellus Baz to turn Mansfield leisure centre into 'vibrant' community] Chad, 23 February 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022 Baz established links with Mansfield District Council to take over a former community sports hall as a boxing gym.[https://www.mansfield.gov.uk/news/article/8503/mansfield-celebrates-the-opening-of-new-community-lifeline Mansfield celebrates the opening of new community lifeline] Mansfield District Council, 6 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022
Awards and honours
- BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Award: 2016{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/get-inspired/38341991 |title=Sports Personality 2016: Marcellus Baz wins BBC Unsung Hero award|date=18 December 2016 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=1 October 2019}}
- 2016 BBC East Midlands Get Inspired Unsung Hero award{{cite web |title=Unsung Hero finds new boxing school home |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-38561376 |website=BBC News |date=9 January 2017}}
- Sport Nottinghamshire Community Champion of the Year{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=Liam |title=ROUND-UP: Who won what at the Nottinghamshire Sport Awards? |url=https://nottstv.com/round-up-who-won-what-at-the-nottinghamshire-sport-awards/ |website=Notts TV News |date=2 February 2017}}
- British Empire Medal: 2017{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/new-year-honours-lqrsmqppl|title=Inspiring Nottingham boxing coach among New Year's Honours|last=|first=|date=30 December 2016|website=The Times|access-date=1 October 2019}}
- 2017 UK Coaching National Community Coach of the Year{{cite web |title=Notts coach wins UK Coaching Award |url=https://www.activenotts.org.uk/news/2017/12/notts-coach-wins-uk-coaching-award |website=Active Notts |date=7 December 2017}}
- Ambassador of UK Coaching{{cite web |title=UK Coaching - Man on a Mission: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Crime |url=https://www.ukcoaching.org/resources/topics/stories/man-on-a-mission-breaking-the-vicious-cycle-of-cri |website=www.ukcoaching.org |language=en}}
- 2017 Community Coach of the Year, Nottingham Post Sports Awards{{cite web |last1=Curtis |first1=Leigh |title=Winning Community Award 'means the world to me' says Marcellus Baz |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/other-sport/winning-community-award-means-world-693862#:~:text=Marcellus%20Baz%20admitted%20winning%20the,the%20East%20Midlands%20Conference%20Centre |website=nottinghampost |date=29 October 2017}}
References
{{reflist}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baz, Marcellus}}
Category:Year of birth uncertain
Category:English nonprofit executives
Category:British boxing trainers