Paul Whitaker OBE

Paul Whittaker was born in Huddersfield in 1964 and has been deaf since birth. He knew from a young age he wanted to be a musician and, after getting a music degree from Wadham College Oxford and a post-graduate diploma from the RNCM he founded “Music and the Deaf” to encourage deaf people to access and enjoy music. He ran this for 27 years before leaving in 2015 to pursue a freelance career.

In 1992 Paul began signing musical shows in the West End and on tour, including Les Miserables, Cats and West Side Story. He has appeared at the BBC Proms, Edinburgh International Festival, Aldeburgh Festival and worked with The Sixteen, Rambert Dance and Opera North.

He has been awarded honorary degrees from the University of Huddersfield and the Open University and in 2007 was given an OBE for services to Music.

Paul has known about Lollipop for many years and is delighted and honoured to support their wonderful work.