In the latest ‘Keep the Conversation Going’ interview Paul Purewal, corporate account manager at Coventry Building Society, shared his insights with Jason Berry, group sales director of Crystal Specialist Finance and co-founder of the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC).
During this conversation, Purewal and Berry discussed how employers can nurture team spirit, how the lessons learnt from playing team sports can read across to the work environment, appreciating the mental health benefits of a good walk and approaching alcohol with caution.
Purewal said: “Playing team sports teaches you a huge range of skills, from communicating with people to thinking collectively and helping others, dealing with success and failure and training to improve yourself.
“Sports also help you appreciate the importance of mentors and role models – all of which are hugely useful in the working environment.”
He added: “And of course playing sport is good for your physical and mental health. But then so is any exercise. I am a runner, but also benefit from a nice walk.
“Pre-2020 I would have perceived walking as the preserve of rambling groups. But since the pandemic, we have all come to appreciate how simply going for a walk can make a big difference to your mindset.”
On the importance of being mindful around alcohol, Purewal shared his own family experience.
He said: “My dad was one of many Punjabis who came over from India in the 1970s, taking up the opportunity to start a new life and earn an income. Most of the work available was factory work, which involved very long hours.
“Asian men of that generation found themselves in a completely new environment and found it difficult to talk about their feelings and problems. The only distraction available was meeting up at the pub.
“That’s fine if you’re having a few drinks, but using the bottle as your only vehicle for relaxation is problematic.”
He continued: “My dad struggled with alcoholism and some family members are no longer here as a result […] there is always the fear that you may have inherited some of those tendencies.
“I’m as fond of a beer as anyone, but I’m very aware not to bow down to peer pressure – I know the importance of choosing the right time for a drink, and making sure alcohol is not my go-to for relaxation.”
MIMHC provides a platform for signatories to share insights and strategies for promoting mental wellbeing in the workplace.
The inaugural MIMHC Charity Ball at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London on 10th October 2025 will be the industry’s first alcohol-free event.
For further information and tickets, contact: william.lloyd-hayward@thebrightstargroup.co.uk
