The Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter’s (MIMHC) third annual 144-mile Walk & Talk challenge finally came to an end on Friday last week as leaders Jason Berry and Charlie Morley crossed the finish line at HSBC’s Birmingham head office at 15:45.

Some 64 participants from across the mortgage sector, joining for different stages of the route, took part in the week long challenge that spanned the length of the Grand Union Canal.

The event was led by Jason Berry, group sales director at Crystal Specialist Finance and co-founder of the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter, who completed the full route alongside Charlie Morley, director of mortgage distribution, operations and servicing at Metro Bank.

Between them they averaged almost 24 miles per day throughout the week, completing a total of 309,817 steps during the challenge.

Over the last four weeks Mortgage Soup has been firing the questions at both sponsors and those taking part.

Today, Siobhan Moran (main picture, inset), corporate account manager at HSBC UK Intermediary Mortgages, is under the spotlight.

MS: What made you want to support and be part of the Walk and Talk initiative/event?

I was keen to show my support for such an important cause. I was also extremely moved when I learned about the Niall Stringer Foundation at the IMLA dinner last year and I wanted to show my support for the charity and the work it’s doing.

Mental health and wellbeing challenges are very real across the mortgage industry and Walk and Talk is a simple, inclusive way to bring people together and normalise the conversation, creating space to check in with one another, reduce stigma and reinforce that looking after ourselves and our colleagues is part of building a sustainable, supportive market.

MS: From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges brokers/clients are facing right now with their mental health and wellbeing?

A big challenge is the non-stop workload and pace, with many people feeling they’re constantly reacting to the next urgent request.

Over time, that can lead to stress and burnout, especially when there’s little opportunity to properly recover between busy periods.

Another issue is knowing when to switch off. With hybrid working and always-on connectivity, the boundary between work and home can blur, making it harder to disconnect mentally and physically.

There’s also the impact of increased business costs and commercial pressure, rising overheads, tighter margins, and the need to do more with less can create ongoing anxiety and uncertainty, particularly for smaller firms.

Finally, social media and the wider news cycle can add to the strain, whether that’s comparison pressure, negativity, or feeling like you have to stay constantly plugged in, even outside working hours.

MS: What is your organisation doing to better support staff and the wider market?

 At HSBC, we’re focused on making wellbeing practical, visible, and easier to access, both for our colleagues and through how we show up in the wider market.

• Colleague networks (ERGs) and community support: We have active Employee Resource Groups and colleague networks that create safe spaces for connection, shared experiences, and signposting to support. They also help us listen to different perspectives and shape more inclusive wellbeing activity.
• Awareness and education (including stress awareness): We run wellbeing and stress awareness activity to help colleagues recognise early signs of pressure and burnout, understand triggers, and build everyday habits that support resilience. We also encourage open conversations to reduce stigma.
• Manager capability and culture: We support leaders to have better wellbeing conversations, checking in early, helping teams prioritise, and promoting healthier ways of working so performance is sustainable.
• Access to support and signposting: We promote clear routes to help, including internal wellbeing resources and professional support options, so colleagues know where to go if they need support.
• Supporting the wider market: We back industry initiatives like Walk and Talk and we’re also delighted to be hosting the MIMHC Mental Health Training later in the year, helping to build capability and confidence across the mortgage community, not just within our own organisation.

MS: Looking ahead, what trends or changes would you like to see in the next 12–24 months?

I’d like to see the industry move towards more sustainable ways of working, where workload is planned and prioritised more realistically, and ‘urgent’ is the exception rather than the default.

That includes clearer service expectations, better hand-offs, and more honest conversations about capacity, so pressure doesn’t quietly turn into burnout.

I’d also like to see switching off become normal and supported, with leaders role-modelling healthy boundaries and teams feeling able to disconnect without guilt.

Small changes, like clearer out-of-hours expectations, fewer late meetings, and protected focus time can make a big difference.

Given the impact of rising business costs and tighter margins, I’d like to see more practical support for smaller firms and individuals, including sharing best practice on running sustainable businesses and managing pressure during peak periods.

Finally, I’d like to see a healthier relationship with social media and constant connectivity. more awareness of digital wellbeing, less “always plugged in” expectation, and more encouragement to step away from the noise when it’s not helpful.

Overall, the goal is a market where wellbeing is treated as part of performance and professionalism, not something we only talk about when things go wrong.

MS: What does success from this initiative/event look like for you?

Success looks like people leaving the event feeling more connected, more comfortable talking about mental health, and reassured that it’s OK to ask for help early, before pressure turns into burnout. If Walk and Talk helps even a few people realise they’re not alone, that’s meaningful.

It also looks like practical follow-through, not just a good day out: colleagues and market participants taking away simple actions they’ll actually use, such as checking in more regularly, setting clearer switch-off boundaries, and being more intentional about breaks and digital wellbeing.

Finally, success is the momentum continuing beyond the event, more participation year-on-year, stronger collaboration across the mortgage community, and more people engaging with initiatives like training and support networks.

Over time, the real measure is a culture shift where wellbeing is treated as part of how we work every day, not a one-off conversation.