The Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter’s (MIMHC) third annual 144-mile Walk & Talk challenge finally came to an end on Friday 15th May 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 between London and Birmingham.

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

Today, David Jones (main picture, inset), director at Click2Check, is under the spotlight.

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

This was my third year supporting the Walk and Talk initiative and I’m always grateful to Jason and the team for the opportunity to be involved.

Each year, I meet people I would never normally cross paths with, yet we share common goal and often similar anxieties that don’t always have an outlet.

The mortgage and advice sector is high-pressure by nature. Deadlines, client expectations, and regulatory demands all stack up, and it can feel relentless at times.

Walk and Talk creates a simple but powerful opportunity to step away from that environment, connect with others, and have real, honest conversations.

I wanted to support something that breaks down those barriers and reminds people they’re not facing these challenges alone.

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

Uncertainty is the biggest factor; rate fluctuations; affordability pressures and longer transaction times all add stress.

Brokers are carrying the weight of client expectations while navigating complex cases, often with little downtime.

For clients, it’s the financial strain and fear of making the wrong decision.

That combination creates a constant background pressure that can impact both performance and wellbeing.

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

At Click2Check, the company ethos is to be open and honest. The door is always open to chat.

Internally, we encourage open communication, realistic workloads and a culture where people can speak up if they need support.

As a company the hub was created was to remove friction and uncertainty and supply brokers a service to use which is a clear, single view of a client’s financial position early on with credit, open banking, combating fraud and piece of mind with AML and IDV checks, helping reduce surprises later in the process.

That not only improves outcomes but reduces stress for everyone involved.

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

I’d like to see a greater focus on proactive wellbeing rather than reactive support. Technology will continue to play a role particularly tools that simplify decision-making and reduce manual workload but it needs to be balanced with human connection.

The industry also needs to normalise conversations around mental health, making it part of everyday business rather than something only addressed in difficult moments.

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

Success is simple: people talking. And exercising in the easiest way possible: walking.

Coming away feeling more connected, more supported and more comfortable having honest conversations about how they’re really doing, then job done.

If it also encourages ongoing dialogue within firms and across the industry, even better.  There are no boundaries if we keep the walking and talking.