A charity which uses the power of live music to enhance the lives of people who are learning disabled has launched a ‘1,000 Instruments Challenge’ this week to ask people across the country to donate their unwanted musical instruments to them.

Electric Umbrella hopes to collect 1,000 instruments by Christmas and all donated instruments will be repaired, re-purposed or adapted by the charity so they can be used by members or they will be sold to raise funds for the charity.

Electric Umbrella adapts and/or rebuilds instruments for members to use which creates unique opportunities for learning disabled people.

They have made some truly amazing instruments such as drum kits that strap on to wheelchairs, banana pianos, and a drill guitar which was invented so that a band member could use his foot to play the instrument.

Electric Umbrella member Caroline Klovig-Skelton from Harrow in London hopes that people will donate their unwanted musical instruments to the charity

Caroline (30) has Down’s Syndrome and joined Electric Umbrella two years ago. She said: “I really enjoy Electric Umbrella, I love singing.

“I like it so much when I watch EU TV and sing with Kirsty. My favourite song is ‘I will always love you’. I love that one so much!”

Caroline’s mum Hilde, added: “Electric Umbrella has been a very engaging & welcoming charity which has given Caroline a structured day during lockdown. Her whole world was turned upside down by having to move back home from assisted living once lockdown started & all her daytime activities stopped.

“Electric Umbrella has provided an engaging, happy & inclusive community throughout an extremely difficult & unsettling time. We feel very privileged to be part of such a happy community.”

The Hertfordshire based charity Electric Umbrella (EU) was set up five years ago by Mel Boda and Tom Billington to provide a platform for learning disabled people to enjoy live music, and in doing so challenge the perceptions towards learning disabled people. They organise gigs, operatas, musicals and even festivals.

Members regularly say they feel left behind by society and placed on the sidelines. Sadly, many of them have also experienced discrimination and say they could achieve far more than what’s expected of them, if given the right opportunities.

During the pandemic Electric Umbrella launched online sessions to bring fun interactive shows, singalongs, often with inspiring guests, to their hundreds of members, many of whom relied on these social and creative sessions to get them through this difficult time.

While online sessions have been necessary during the pandemic, Electric Umbrella looks forward to hosting in-person events again so that members can enjoy playing musical instruments, take part in singalongs, and meet up with friends and family for ‘real-life’ social interaction.