Renowned actor Charles Dale is today announced as our latest Ambassador.
Known for his roles in Casualty and Emmerdale, as well as Deputy Mayor of his hometown of Tenby, the stalwart of Saturday night TV was moved to support our cause after witnessing the devastating impact of brain tumours on several close friends, including fellow actor and Ambassador Craig Russell, who underwent surgery to remove a meningioma two years ago.
Charles was also a close friend to Coronation Street star Bill Tarmey, whose son Carl died of a brain tumour, as well as being acquainted with writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah, who died of a brain tumour in 2023.
Charles said: “Seeing the devastating impact brain tumours have had on my friends’ lives has been awful – so I’m deeply honoured to become an Ambassador for Brain Tumour Research, the leading voice of the brain tumour community, and a cause that’s very close to my heart.”
Our CEO, Dan Knowles, said: “We are deeply honoured to announce Charles as our new Ambassador. He has been a huge support to the charity, playing a key role in some of our biggest campaigns. We look forward to working with him to drive the much-needed change which brain tumour patients and their families so desperately deserve.”
Embracing his new role with passion and purpose, today Charles will set off from Tenby on a month-long awareness-raising motorcycle ride across England and Wales. The challenge was inspired by the loss of another close friend, Shaun Griffiths (below right), as the result of a brain injury.
Charles said: “Just over six months ago one of my oldest and best friends suffered a catastrophic brain injury when he slipped on the stairs. This resulted in a bleed on the brain and, just over a week later, his family had to make the most difficult decision ever, to withdraw life support. Shaun died shortly after; he was 63.”
As part of ‘Shaun’s TT 100’, Charles will visit 100 motorbike cafes across England and Wales, joined by famous faces along the way, hoping to raise vital funds for Brain Tumour Research and brain injury association Headway, which provides support, services and information to brain injury survivors, their families and carers.
We wish Charles the very best of luck for his challenge and extend a warm welcome as he joins our family in the fight to find a cure.
Learn more about Shaun’s TT 100 and donate today.
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