Nottingham charity founder says 'the system is broken' as they fight for their future

Switch Up has been running for over a decade and provided support to 800 people in the last year alone

The founder of a Nottingham charity turning young people away from gangs says he fears the loss of organisations like his at a time when "the public system is broken." Stretched mental health services and sweeping cuts by authorities such as Nottingham City Council means that the work of local volunteers and charities has become even more vital, says Marcellus Baz.

The Marcellus Baz Group, which incorporates Switch Up and the Nottingham School of Boxing, has been running for over a decade and has supported 800 people in the last year alone. The charity's work last year included helping 65 young people into work and supporting 82 young people back into education.

Despite the critical nature of the work, Marcellus says the work of community organisations up and down the country is often at risk due to a lack of funding. Switch Up recently launched an appeal for a new building, with its current site plagued by issues ranging from fungi growing on the ceiling to a lack of heating.

The charity CEO said: "The model is exactly what we need at a time when the public system is broken. We're seeing so many cuts, police are inundated, mental health services are inundated, and the education system doesn't seem to be working.

"This is why organisations like Switch Up and other organisations in the community are absolutely vital." A particular focus of Switch Up has been helping young people "drawn into the wrong crowds" to turn away from the scourge of knife crime.

Yet Marcellus Baz says as well as helping young people, he also hopes to shift the perception of knife crime as a whole. The charity founder added: "When we say young people are carrying knives and stabbing each other, I would call that a symptom.

"The root cause would probably be a lack of opportunities, poverty, generational trauma, mental health issues and a broken education system. We're looking at all of these deeper issues that we address through our five-pillar, award-winning model, which focuses on mentoring, counselling, education, physical activity and employability."

Local heroes like Marcellus could now land up to £2,500 to help them boost their communities, thanks to a new fund set up to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards. Grants of £2,500, £1,000 and £500 are all available as part of the Pride of Britain Fund's £100,000 giveaway for good causes, and you can nominate the people or groups who you think should receive it.

It could be someone who devotes their time to make sure older people have companionship and a warm meal, or an unsung hero who spruces up the high street with flowers. It may also be a sports club, where volunteers give kids a safe space to play, or a youth group putting people on the path to a brighter future.

The £100,000 giveaway is part of celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, which are screened on ITV1 later in the autumn. The fund, a charity that aims to spread the Pride of Britain spirit, was set up to help charities and community organisations across the UK.

It has already given grants to more than 100 groups, including Manchester youth charity N-Gage, which was founded by Christie Spurling, and has helped to transform thousands of young lives. A £30,000 grant from the Pride of Britain Fund helped his charity buy a mobile youth club to engage with young people in the places they hang out.

The converted 25-seater bus is kitted out with game consoles, tablets and music technology. When Carol Vorderman announced the grant, Christie said: "It's amazing. Thank you so much. I am literally speechless. It will make a massive difference."

Grants of £500, £1,000 or £2,500 are available, and you can apply for help with work you are doing, or you can nominate someone you know about to receive funding. The Pride of Britain team will create a shortlist, but the final decision will rest with local communities all over the country, so you will be able to vote on who gets the funding in your area. To apply, scan the QR code and complete the online form or go to reachforms.co.uk/POB to access the form.