It began with a simple question in 1985: what if families didn’t have to face this alone?
At the Ronnie MacKeith Child Development Centre in Derby, Consultant Paediatrician Richard Morton saw the reality for families of disabled children – the gaps in support, the isolation, and the need for shared understanding. From this, a simple but powerful idea was born: bring parents and carers together.
And so, Umbrella began.
Umbrella officially launched on 20 June 1986 with a barbecue, but it quickly grew into something far greater. Within days, the first seminar was held, focusing on education for children with additional needs in Derbyshire. A volunteer-run weekly phone-in service was created, the first newsletter was published, and an information library began to take shape – all driven by parents supporting parents.
As the years went on, Umbrella grew hand in hand with the families it supported. In the late 1980s and 1990s, new services emerged: sitting services, play schemes, parent partnership work, volunteer training, and projects helping children and young people access activities, build confidence, and feel included. Umbrella listened, adapted, and responded – always shaped by what families said they needed.
The 2000s marked a period of growth and opportunity. Support groups spread across Derbyshire, sibling and youth services developed, and in 2010 Umbrella reached a major milestone: becoming the proud owner of Umbrella House in Mackworth. Fully adapted and designed with accessibility at its heart, it became a place of safety, laughter, support and belonging.
Umbrella has continued to evolve. Services expanded for young adults, families were supported through major SEND reforms, and spaces for joy and connection flourished – from sensory rooms and youth projects to the Umbrella Raindrops Choir.
In 2020, Umbrella took on a long-term lease to extend its services further, naming the building in memory of much-loved Trustee Annie Hall – a lasting reminder that people have always been at the heart of everything Umbrella does.
Now, 40 years on, Umbrella is more than an organisation. It is a community built on compassion, resilience, and shared experience.
We have supported over 18,000 disabled children and young adults across Derbyshire. With your help, we are currently supporting:
• Approximately 500 disabled children and young adults
• Over 35,000 hours of support and services delivered in 2025
• More than 1,800 families and carers with advice, training, and support to strengthen wellbeing and resilience
• Intensive early intervention for parents awaiting or newly receiving a diagnosis
• Ongoing advocacy and education to promote understanding and inclusion across the wider community
This is just the beginning of the story.