Support after cancer treatment
Dingle, who represents St Budeaux, wants to address what he describes as a gap in help for men after treatment. He said a cancer diagnosis brings shock, difficult treatment decisions and conversations with family, yet men who receive the all-clear can find little support as they try to return to normal life.
He praised the support women have developed around breast cancer and other conditions, while saying men have been less proactive in seeking and organizing help. Dingle said he had not experienced cancer himself but hoped the new role would let him make recovery easier for others.
Silver was diagnosed with testicular cancer at 29 and has raised more than £100,000 to increase awareness of the disease. His Plymouth-based charity delivers care packs to men undergoing cancer treatment and was among Plymouth Argyle's inaugural chosen charity partners for the 2021/22 season.
The event Dingle and Silver are planning would bring together individuals and organizations able to help men with nutrition, exercise and recovery. The council's announcement of the new role did not give a timetable for specific events or projects.
A remit spanning services and community groups
Plymouth City Council announced Dingle's appointment at its Cabinet meeting on October 12, 2026, and issued a formal news release on October 26. The official title is "men's and boy's health champion."
The council says the role is intended to give the needs of men and boys greater attention in local health initiatives. Its remit extends across health services, community organizations, sports clubs, employers and voluntary groups.
Maria Lawson, the council's cabinet member for health and adult social care, led the announcement. Council leader Tudor Evans welcomed Dingle's appointment and praised his interest in the subject.
Dingle praised Plymouth's "amazing voluntary and charity sector" but said some people were working in isolation. "I see my role as bringing everyone together," he said. Alongside Dash of Silver, he will work with Plymouth Cancer Champions, Andy's Man Club, Every Man Matters, The Chestnut Appeal for Men's Health, Mustard Tree and The Pioneers Project.
Mental health and unequal life expectancy
Dingle said men were less likely to engage with health services and often avoided seeking mental health support. Recalling bereavements and relationship breakups, he described keeping quiet, concentrating on work and bottling up his feelings. He said he only became comfortable talking about those experiences in his 40s, encouraged by his all-female workforce.
His priorities also include Plymouth's life expectancy gaps: men live four years less than women, and male life expectancy differs by 10 years between deprived and less deprived parts of the city.
Dingle said healthier lifestyles and stopping smoking could prevent many early deaths from cardiovascular disease, strokes and, in some cases, cancer. He wants more people to take up NHS health checks and cancer screening, and will also focus on physical activity, mental well-being and suicide rates.
About 24 people die by suicide in Plymouth each year, with middle-aged men at the greatest risk.
National funding for men's health
Suicide prevention is also part of England's first Men's Health Strategy, which the Department of Health and Social Care published on November 18, 2025, on International Men's Day. The 10-year vision for men's and boys' health includes £3.6 million over three years for projects targeting middle-aged men in areas where their suicide risk is highest.
A separate initiative, the Men's Health Community Fund, was announced by the UK government on March 27, 2026. The £6.3 million partnership brings together the Department of Health and Social Care, Movember and People's Health Trust. It funds community-led projects for underserved men and boys ages 16 and older, with particular attention to the most disadvantaged areas.
