This Is a Space for You: The Story Behind Deaf Umbrella

We’ve never really introduced us properly on here, so here it goes…

Welcome to a space where we stop assuming Deaf Awareness is a “nice to have.”

Where we stop brushing aside communication barriers as “too hard to fix.”

Where we stop calling British Sign Language “just a skill” and recognise it as someone’s first language.

Where we challenge ignorance with education. 

This is Deaf Umbrella. A place for the Deaf person. The Hard of Hearing. The curious. The inclusive. The thoughtful.

You're in the right place if… You want to understand Deafness and Deaf Culture. You want to feel more confident communicating with Deaf or Hard of Hearing colleagues, staff, or customers. You like your learning to be useful and entertaining. You believe spreading Deaf Awareness is everyone’s business.

Deaf Umbrella started because of a moment that changed everything.

Our founder, Rachel Hubbard, was just 13 when her mum lost her hearing overnight due to a medical error. Her family was thrown into a world they didn’t understand—jobs were lost, communication broke down, and support was hard to find.

So Rachel dove in. And never really came back out.

Decades later, Deaf Umbrella is still here, creating space, providing support, and empowering the Deaf community through:

• British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters – for education and the workplace, to make inclusion a reality. 

• Employment Search Support – our Deaf-led job club is a safe space to be understood. 

• Deaf Awareness Training – award-winning courses that help break down barriers, not just tick boxes.

We believe in practical change. In community-led solutions. In making “access” more than a buzzword.

We’ve been honoured to be recognised by the London Business Awards for our work in training, community impact, and entrepreneurship.

But at the heart of it all, it’s about people. It’s about Deaf people being seen, respected, and heard—in their own language.

So whether you're here to learn, to grow, to connect, or just to not get it wrong anymore—we’re glad you found us.

Tell us about you. What brought you here?