Ice stars back food bank plea
TORVILL and Dean have launched Nottingham School of Boxing’s winter appeal for food bank donations to help vulnerable young people and families this winter.
The ice skating legends – patrons of the school’s Switch Up community programme – urged people to back the campaign.
Christopher Dean said: “It’s so important to support this because it’s going to be challenging for so many families, communities, through this period and so to support, donate, be a part of it, is going to help so many families that need that help.”
And Jayne Torvill added: “We do need your help so we would be grateful for your support.”
Marcellus Baz, CEO and founder of the school and its community programme Switch Up, wants people to help provide money for food parcels, warm clothes, books, toys, counselling and mentoring in the run-up to Christmas.
He said: “Nottingham School of Boxing’s aim is to have champions in and out of the ring so we’re looking at making people better.
“Here, we have mother figures and father figures who train and mentor – there’s holistic support. We work with a lot of broken families and provide trauma counselling to help people deal with their demons and one-to-one education.
“We’re not trying to replace food banks, when people are struggling to access food banks, we want to be a safety blanket and allow people further access. We also inform people on other food banks that are out there, we’re just providing the community with more access.
“We’re working with many vulnerable people and different businesses in Nottingham and we acknowledge that there’s a hike in gas and electricity bills whilst people still haven’t recovered from the pandemic.
“There’s cuts to youth services, we’re on our knees. If we don’t ask for funds from the community, the Government won’t. There’s rising crime as we’ve seen with the stabbings in The Meadows, Universal Credit cuts and suicides in the Trent.”
Single mother Mary Adam, from St Ann’s – who doesn’t work due to illness – also backed the appeal. She said: “When I got the food parcel, I cried. Times are expensive right now. £10 a week use to last me for energy and a lot of people are going to suffer this year. With Universal Credit cuts, I didn’t really miss it because I was working at the time but I can imagine that a lot of people will struggle. “Mary, who used to use food banks even when she was working, added: “People are embarrassed to use food banks sometimes and are only able to speak about it after but, with everything being so expensive right now, they’re needed. People should know that they’re there and that they can go to them.” Enoch Adam, 18 and also from St Ann’s, is starting a new job as a coach soon after “turning his life around”.
“If it wasn’t for Marcellus Baz, I would have got locked up, I would’ve ended up fighting more. I understand why some young kids carry knives to protect themselves. I’ve realised that there’s no point and that I need to control my anger.
“If young people don’t have opportunities, then they lose motivation to look for jobs. I hated school but boxing is such a good way to release anger and have something to aim for.”
Mr Adam starts a new coaching role soon in primary schools and volunteers at the boxing school to help kids who “remind me of me”.
Alex Jones, director at engineering consultants Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW), said: “We’re aware that some people are really struggling at the moment. Nobody should have to go cold or hungry over the winter, and Switch Up’s work gives us a direct route to make a difference to our local communities. We’re proud to be associated with Switch Up, so we were honoured to asked to donate first and put some momentum behind their emergency fund.”
The Nottingham Project and Nottingham City of Literature are also backing the appeal.
To donate, go to: justgiving. com/campaign/switch-up-torvill-dean-appeal
We do need your help so we would be grateful for your support
Jayne Torvill