About Tina Lannin
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Deaf entrepreneur. Lip reading expert. Advocate for inclusion.
Tina Lannin is the founder of 121 Captions and the heartbeat behind it.
As a Deaf professional with decades of lived experience and industry knowledge, Tina has spent her life breaking down barriers, changing perceptions, and pushing for communication equality in places where it’s often overlooked.
Through 121 Captions, she’s helped thousands of individuals, businesses, schools, broadcasters, and public organisations understand that access isn’t optional — it’s essential. Her passion is simple but powerful: everyone deserves to be part of the conversation.
Tina’s Story
Tina was born deaf. From the beginning, communication was a challenge, because others didn’t always know how to include her.
She grew up learning to navigate a hearing world: reading lips, picking up cues, and working twice as hard to follow conversations that others took for granted. She experienced the frustration of sitting in classrooms where she couldn’t follow the teacher, and later in workplaces where no one thought about accessibility.
Rather than letting those experiences hold her back, Tina used them as fuel.
She trained as a professional lip reader and deaf awareness trainer, became a businesswoman, and began helping others — not just to get by, but to truly thrive.
Founding 121 Captions
Tina launched 121 Captions with a bold idea: that captioning and access services could be better — more accurate, more respectful, more human.
Too many providers relied on unqualified freelancers, clunky systems, or inaccurate auto-captioning. Deaf people were being under served. Businesses were unknowingly excluding people. And decision-makers didn’t even realise the gap.
So Tina created something different:
- A Deaf-led company
- Built by people who get it
- Delivering services that actually work
Today, 121 Captions is trusted by the likes of Google, the BBC, Microsoft, TEDx, universities, NHS trusts, and everyday people needing clear, reliable support.
Lip Reading Expertise
Tina is the UK’s foremost forensic lip reader — often called on by media, legal teams, and the police to interpret speech in silent or poor-quality video.
Her work has appeared in:
- National court cases
- TV news segments
- Criminal investigations
- Documentaries
- High-profile employment disputes
- Evidence for solicitors and barristers
She has helped uncover words spoken in silence — in courtrooms, security footage, political events, and sensitive investigations. Her transcripts are known for their accuracy, attention to detail, and honesty about what can (and cannot) be interpreted from visual cues alone.
Media & Public Speaking
- BBC News & Radio
- Sky News
- ITV News
- The Times
- Channel 4
- The Guardian
- The Irish Times
- Accessibility and diversity panels across the UK and globally
- The real-world impact of poor captioning
- Why AI isn’t enough
- Access to Work
- The social model of disability
- Lip reading in law and media
- Deaf culture and identity in the workplace
Advocacy & Values
Tina is a passionate advocate for:
- Equal access to education and employment for Deaf people
- Better government policy around disability access
- Deaf awareness training that is realistic, not tokenistic
- Respect for lived experience and Deaf culture
- Professionalising the captioning and interpreting industry
She’s also helped hundreds of Deaf professionals apply for and manage Access to Work funding — a process she’s personally been through many times.
As a result, she’s helped Deaf employees in dozens of sectors get the captioning, BSL interpreting, and support they deserve, allowing them to shine at work without compromise.
What It’s Like Working With Tina
Clients and partners describe Tina as:
- Focused – She knows what needs to happen and how to get it done
- Kind – She’s been in your shoes and leads with empathy
- Professional – She expects (and delivers) high standards every time
- Collaborative – She listens, adapts, and makes people feel heard
- Uncompromising on quality – Because for access to work well, it has to be done right
She has worked with:
- HR directors looking to build inclusive teams
- Media producers needing transcripts on a deadline
- Legal professionals decoding evidence
- Event planners hosting accessible hybrid events
- Students applying for captioning support
- Businesses struggling with captioning tools and compliance
Whether it’s a phone call, keynote, or behind-the-scenes support, Tina brings knowledge, integrity, and heart to every conversation.
Recognition & Impact
Tina’s work has directly helped:
- Thousands of individuals access live captions or BSL support
- Hundreds of organisations make their content accessible
- Dozens of Deaf professionals gain and stay in employment
- Countless viewers enjoy more inclusive events, lectures, and broadcasts
She’s a quiet changemaker — not flashy, but fiercely dedicated to results.
And her biggest reward? Hearing clients say:
“For the first time, I felt truly included.”
Want to Connect with Tina?
Tina is available for:
- Media interviews
- Public speaking
- Accessibility consultancy
- Strategic partnerships
- Lip reading work (legal/media)
Email: [email protected]
Call: +44 (0) 20 8012 8170