Umbrella

3 October 2018, 14:59 | Updated: 11 September 2019, 11:57

Here's what you need to know about Umbrella.

Umbrella is a charity in Derbyshire where children and young people with disabilities can access many play and learning opportunities.

The charity helps them build confidence and their independence. They do this by providing a range of activities at the Umbrella day centre, including arts and crafts classes, play sessions, youth groups and community events, as well as offering one-to-one support for young people at the centre or at home.

While the centre encourages children and young people with disabilities to make friends, it also enables parents and families to come together and get the peer support they need. Families are also supported through information, guidance and much-needed respite. Families like Kate’s family, whose son Mark has cerebral palsy and learning difficulties.

Kate told the charity: “Umbrella has been an absolute lifeline for both Mark and the rest of the family. Mark attends the weekly Tuesday group and this has helped to develop his social and independence skills. It is staffed by amazingly talented people who work with a variety of very different and complex young people, treating them as valuable people and encouraging them to achieve their potential. It also provides our family with two hours of respite while Mark attends the group which is invaluable to us. I honestly don’t know where we would be without them.”

Global’s Make Some Noise will be supporting the charity’s Activities project, which will enable Umbrella to support even more children and young people with complex needs. The funding from Global’s Make Some Noise will go towards a new Support Coordinator, who will help to organise many more activities and play sessions across the year to enable children and young people to make new friends, learn new skills and have fun after school and in the summer holidays.

To find out more about Umbrella, visit the charity’s website here.