Jason Berry and Charlie Morely finished their epic 141-mile trek up the Grand Union Canal for the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) on Friday last week, finally finishing at HSBC’s head office in Birmingham.
Berry (main picture, right), MIMHC co-founder and group sales director at Crystal Specialist Finance and Morely (main picture, left), director of mortgage distribution, operations and servicing at Metro Bank, completed the arduous 141 mile challenge over six days, starting at Metro Bank’s Holborn office on Sunday May 10.
Over the course of the week the dynamic duo were joined by scores of leggers – the name given to those taking part – to help them cover the historic route.
On Friday the pair were joined by 16 of the mortgage industry’s finest to get them across the line including Robyn Hall from Opus First Media; Emma Hall from Movin Legal; Darrell Walker from Chetwood Bank; Dev Malle from Simplify; James Prosser from Emap; Peter Gwilliam from Virtus Search; Sat Bhandal from Crystal Specialist Finance; Andy Frankish and Ben Thompson from MAB; Scott Howitt from Chartwell Mortgage Services; Rob Stanton from LandBay; Victoria Jefferies from L&G; Jane Benjamin from Connect for Intermediaries and Kath Stagg from Stagg Mortgages.
It was the third time that Berry has led a walking challenge for MIMHC.
MEAN MACHINE
Addressing the day’s leggers at the post walk party at HSBC Berry said: “The first thanks is to my partner this year, Charles. Thank you. The man is an absolute machine.”
He added: “It’s been a really brilliant six days and we genuinely couldn’t get through each day without the help and the assistance of the leggers.
“The conversations, so that time you take to walk up and spend a bit of time with Charlie and I, it makes a massive difference, and it helps you get through the day.”
UPS AND DOWNS
Berry went on to explain how each day had its own ups and downs and the entire experience had been an ‘emotional rollercoaster’ for them both, dealing with tired legs, wrong turns and unforeseen mishaps.
He said: “Thank you for today and thanks to all the other leggers on the previous days.
“It’s really special. There’ll always be mishaps but just like the brilliant sector we work in, it’s how we bounce back.
“It’s how we deal with these mishaps. It’s how we deal with the challenges that are put in front of us.
“Thankfully, despite a few wrong turns, despite a few little mishaps, we made it to the to the finish which is absolutely great.”
THANK YOU
Taking to LinkedIn on Friday evening Morely said: “Here we are at the end of the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter Walk and Talk 2026, and I am absolutely exhausted.
“During this week, we’ve walked over a hundred and forty miles, and we’ve done over three hundred thousand steps. And I’d like to use this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everybody that has supported us during this week.
“So far, we’ve raised over [£12,000] and that amount is growing very, very quickly.
“And also a huge thank you to Jane and Juliete Berry, who kept us fed and watered and transported when we needed transport.”
FOLLOW THE LEADER
He added: “And then, of course, to our leader. What have I learnt about our leader this week?
“My fellow walker, Jason Berry. Well, first and foremost, he has absolutely no sense of direction.
“He chafes if he wears the wrong shorts. He falls over like Lee Majors. One there for you, Mr. Barnard. And he books hotel rooms in the wrong year. However, he is one of the most driven and passionate men that I have ever met.
“And what he’s delivered for our great mortgage industry through his amazing work with the Mental Health Charter is quite simply absolutely amazing and unbelievably outstanding.”
There’s still time to donate and you can do so HERE.
