A charity that empowers children and young adults in Nottingham has extended its work to provide food parcels for vulnerable people in Mansfield during the coronavirus crisis.

Switch Up teamed up with local businesses, generous individuals in the community, and schools to offer online mentoring and counselling as well as the food parcels.

It worked in partnership with Mansfield Primary Academy to help high priority families, handing out food parcels on site (pictured).

Marcellus Baz, founder and CEO of Switch Up and Nottingham School of Boxing, said: “The support of these businesses and local individuals has been absolutely vital in being able to support everyone that approaches us.

“We are regularly receiving social media messages from families asking for help; many who wouldn’t usually reach out to us. The result is that, for the first time, we’re offering on-the-spot counselling, advice on how to interpret government guidelines and what they mean for different cultural groups, as well as hand delivering food parcels.

“Everyone should be focusing on looking after both their physical and mental health and, with the support of these local partnerships, we are determined to keep the region unified and in a positive frame of mind for the remainder of the Covid-19 crisis.”

Long-time supporters such as Instinct Laboratory, Air IT, John Pye & Sons, Motorpoint, Lindleys Autocentres, CPMG, and Couch Perry & Wilkes LLP (CPW) continue to provide funding, while individuals such as Anthony Clarke, from The Alternative Adviser; Nick Gregory, from CPMG; and Ash Cowdrey, from CPW; have all made personal donations.