East Midlands-based coffee roaster 200 Degrees Coffee has announced its partnership with Nottingham-based Switch Up, as part of a three-year commitment.

The roaster has created a unique Switch Up roast of coffee and brand-new coffee pods, which will be available to order across its 18 coffee shops, with £1 in every kilo roasted going directly to the charity – with a minimum commitment of £10,000 a year.

The speciality grade coffee itself is grown in Guatemala produced exclusively by female farmers, which is unusual in the typical male dominated coffee industry, under the ‘La Morena’ collective group from Volcafe Select. Since they joined the programme, the farmers have raised the quality of their coffee, increased their yields, and, as a consequence, started earning more. In teaching them best practices, their farms are turning out excellent coffee and becoming viable businesses.

Customers can request the Switch Up blend when purchasing bags of coffee in store or online, and on sit in or takeaway drinks during selected times.

Switch Up, which was founded by CEO Marcellus Baz BEM, empowers young people, children and young adults from disadvantaged communities affected by crime and violence to reach their true potential. The charity uses its five-pillar approach to help connect young people with employment, training and education opportunities.

The three-year partnership with 200 Degrees will provide much-needed funding for the charity, enabling its team of mentors to continue to offer their vital support to young people and run its sister organisation the Nottingham School of Boxing.

CEO Rob Darby said: “Life can be challenging and volatile for some young people and the incredible work Marcellus and the Switch Up team do has a direct and positive impact on young lives.

“200 Degrees is a Nottingham born business and it’s important to us to support local organisations and causes. The passion, care and impact of Switch Up is immeasurable and we are humbled and proud to be supporting them.”

200 Degrees is also hosting its annual Swap Shop event, across its 18 coffee shops, on Tuesday 6 December. The coffee roaster is asking customers and members of the public to bring new, unused and unopened hygiene items in exchange for a delicious cup of coffee. These items will then be donated to local charities who need them most, with 200 Degrees’ Nottingham Flying Horse Walk shop gifting its donations to chosen charity Switch Up.

Marcellus Baz, founder and CEO of Switch Up, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be galvanising our partnership with 200 Degrees. The support of 200 Degrees, through their amazing Swap Shop initiative, made a significant difference to the help we could provide to vulnerable families across Nottingham last Christmas.

“This year is set to be even bigger and better through the addition of the donations that will be made through the Switch Up coffee. Purchasing a few bags will make a fantastic Christmas gift or it’s a really great way for local businesses to lend their support to a worthy cause that impacts their city.

“All funds will go towards supporting those struggling with their mental health or at risk of having no food on their table or presents under their tree this Christmas. Unfortunately, with the aftereffects of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis still being felt, this will mean that we will be helping more local people than ever before.”

Since its inception in 2013, Switch Up has continued to support over 800 young people at any one time from its boxing gym in St Ann’s, Nottingham, and earlier this year, from a second location in Mansfield. The charity has further plans for expansion, to reach and support more young people and their families.

Copley Scientific, which designs and manufactures pharmaceutical test equipment used across the world, has been crowned the Nottinghamshire Business of the Year by East Midlands Chamber. The Nottingham-based company – which exports about 85% of its products to more than 70 markets across Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa, and North and South America – also won the Excellence in International Trade and Small Business categories at the Nottinghamshire Business Awards, which was held on Friday (18 November). Established in 1946 and employing more than 30 people in Colwick, Copley Scientific has made major investments in its manufacturing capabilities in recent years to develop new products. As part of its global expansion, the company has made its website available in both English and Mandarin languages to help growth in China, while it has become a regular at trade shows in target markets. The Nottinghamshire Business Awards, held in partnership with headline sponsor Mazars, recognised East Midlands Chamber members across 13 categories, ranging from Excellence in Innovation and Environmental Impact at organisational level through to individual honours for Entrepreneur of the Year and Apprentice of the Year, in addition to the overall Business of the Year winner. Finalists, chosen by a judging panel of the Chamber’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as sponsors, discovered their fate during a gala dinner attended by hundreds of people at the Nottingham Belfry Hotel. Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “The past few years have been challenging for our business community, and yet we continue to see so many shining examples of business success across our region. “It’s always important to celebrate these achievements and shout about the great things happening right here in Nottinghamshire. We know it is a fantastic place to do business and these organisations – many of which have worked together to maximise their impact within their sectors and communities – are doing a wonderful job. “Later this month, the Chamber will launch a Business Manifesto for Growth in the East Midlands and Beyond in Parliament that illustrates how our region is a Centre of Trading Excellence. Our Business Awards are full of companies that are living proof of this.” The Nottinghamshire Business Awards – one of three awards hosted by the Chamber, along with Derbyshire and Leicestershire – were hosted by comedian Patrick Monahan. A raffle was held to raise funds for East Midlands Chamber president Lindsey Williams’ three chosen charities this year – Focus, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Treetops Hospice. Lindsey, Chief Executive of housing association Futures Housing Group, added: “Behind every nominee and winner whose name will go up in lights are people and organisations that are truly delivering for the region. Their achievements generate employment, wealth and opportunity not just for those directly connected, but for the wider community. “So I’m proud to see the Chamber yet again take the opportunity to bring us together and celebrate our top talent – for their success but also for what they bring to the East Midlands as a whole.”

Cyber criminals will be looking to exploit shoppers during the Black Friday sales – an expert from East Midlands cyber security firm CSS Assure has warned. People in the UK are planning to spend an estimated £3.95bn on Black Friday (25 November) and Cyber Monday (28 November) purchases this year, according to research by comparison site Finder. Mike Wills, director of strategy and policy at cyber and data security firm CSS Assure, said bargain hunters lowering their guards during the rush to bag the best deals are at greater risk of malicious threats. He added: “In the run-up to and during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many outlets will run promotional offers to encourage spending. This is a potentially lucrative time of year for cyber criminals as they know shoppers are less vigilant as they rush to snap up the best deals. “Cyber criminals will no doubt be looking to take advantage of the vast amount of transactions taking place and the financial information being shared as a result. There is also an increase in promotional email traffic, which makes it hard to differentiate the real bargains from scams – presenting a heightened risk of phishing attacks. “With this in mind, it is important consumers take steps to protect themselves and their families during two of the biggest shopping days of the year.” Password management “Firstly, shoppers should change their passwords right away. While this is a faff, it is the single greatest defence you can make to protect yourself against a cyber attack and will instantly make you much safer online. “Currently, there are millions of emails and passwords for sale on the dark web, which have been breached by companies that have not protected people’s personal data sufficiently. Cyber criminals can buy this data for minimal amounts of money and gain access to your emails. “They will look for social media accounts and online high street accounts and test your combination to gain access. From this, they can gather more personal data until they have enough to conduct identity theft, which could result in credit being taken out in your name or using your saved payment cards to make online purchases, for example.” Personal data breach identification “It is a good idea to understand whether your data has been breached so you can put in place other necessary measures to protect yourself. To do this you can use a free service provided by Have I Been Pwned. All you need to do is enter your email address and the site will tell you whether it is associated with a breach and if so, what other data has been stolen. “If you have been breached, it is even more important that you change your password to break the chain. Next, you need to understand whether you have been entered into any spambots – as the name suggests, these are bots that send spam to you. “While some spam is laughable, others are highly credible. If you’re rushing, there’s a higher change you will click a link in a spam email, which could execute malware or ransomware on your device. “Unfortunately, the only way to rectify and avoid your exposure to spam – and, in turn, the chances of clicking on a malicious link – is by changing your email address. This is best done by transitioning email address information on websites over a period time. While this is an arduous task, it is an effective and vital way to protect yourself.” Check your anti-virus protection “Finally, make sure your anti-virus protection is installed, activated with a valid licence and updated. While free anti-virus software is available, in life you get what you pay for and it may not protect you sufficiently. Competition to provide the best anti-virus changes year on year between the main vendors as they achieve technology breakthroughs in response to the evolution in cyber threats. “The best thing to do is check reputable tech websites for reviews of the best current anti-virus software. We recommend buying a one-year licence, and then when it comes to renew, assess which company has moved to the forefront of anti-malware protection. There will always be new customer deals to be had.”