Blog. Spotlight on: Conrad Brunton.
June 17, 2026 | Author Giuliana Vittiglio
As a proud Hospitality Action Ambassador and long-standing supporter of Walk for Wellbeing, Conrad Brunton, Managing Director, Tonic Talent, is passionate about championing the wellbeing of hospitality workers and ensuring they know support is available when they need it most. We recently caught up with Conrad to discuss the importance of Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), the impact of Hospitality Action's work, and why he's committed to helping drive positive change across the sector.
What first inspired you to support Hospitality Action, and why does the charity resonate with you?
I spent 17 years in kitchens, restaurants and hotels before I ever recruited, so I have seen the side of this industry that does not make it onto the menu. The long shifts, the financial worry, the moments where someone on your team is clearly struggling and you do not know where to send them.
I love this industry, but it asks a lot of people, and everyone needs somewhere to turn when life gets heavy. Hospitality Action is that somewhere. What resonates is how practical they are. This is not awareness for the sake of it. It is rent paid, debts cleared, counselling arranged, families kept afloat. Becoming an Ambassador was an easy yes, and I was so proud to be asked. Given everything our industry has weathered in recent years, our work has never been more relevant.
You were instrumental in our recent EAP event at The Grand Hotel, Birmingham, "Are you an accidental counsellor?" Were there any standout conversations or insights that have stayed with you?
The title says it all. Almost everyone who manages a hospitality team becomes a counsellor by accident, without the training and usually at the worst possible moment. Emma Keeble gave the room a proper framework for that. Active listening, setting boundaries, knowing when to signpost and, crucially, knowing where your duty ends. The kind of stuff you actually take home, and relevant to any leader, not just in our industry.
It was Matt Davies's own story that floored the room. He has carried more than most people could, and the way he spoke about what Hospitality Action have done for him was inspirational and genuinely brave. You could have heard a pin drop. That is the moment that stayed with me. It turned an excellent session into something none of us will forget, and it reminded everyone exactly why this charity matters so much.
Why do you think EAPs are so vital within hospitality?
Hospitality runs on people, and this is an industry of unsocial hours, high pressure, financial insecurity and a culture that has historically told you to push through. With how transient the workforce is and how many small operators have no HR function at all, you have thousands of people with nowhere obvious to turn. An EAP changes that overnight. Confidential, immediate, no judgment, no cost to the individual. Whether it is debt, addiction, a relationship falling apart or simply not coping, there is a number to call and a real person on the end of it. I genuinely believe every hospitality business, however small, should have one. It is not a nice-to-have or a tick-box benefit. It tells your team, in the clearest way possible, that someone has their back.
You've hosted Walk for Wellbeing Birmingham since 2020, what keeps you coming back each year?
The unity. I love it, and it is genuinely one of my favourite days of the year. There is something about a few hundred hospitality folk walking together, talking properly, away from the pass and the bar, that you do not get anywhere else. Our industry spends so much of its time looking after everyone else, and the walk is one day a year where we stop and look after our own. I started hosting the Birmingham leg in 2020, and what keeps pulling me back is watching it bring out a side of people you rarely see at work. Honesty, openness, proper connection. Every step raises money for the charity that steps in when people need it most. Plus, I will be honest, I am competitive, and I want to keep growing it year on year. While there is still real work to do on wellbeing in our industry, I will keep lacing up and showing up. It matters too much not to.
How has Walk for Wellbeing Birmingham grown or evolved over time, and what stands out to you most?
When we started in 2020, it was a smaller affair, and mental health was still something our industry rarely talked about openly. That has shifted enormously. In year one, there were walks in just two cities, London and Birmingham. Today it runs in 15 cities across the UK. That growth tells its own story about how far the conversation has come. More operators are getting behind it every year, and talking about wellbeing has gone from a whisper to the mainstream.
What stands out most is the change in attitude. We have gone from convincing people it is worth showing up to people asking when the next one is. Here in Birmingham, the numbers say it all. That first year, there were 3 of us. Last year, we had 145 walkers! We also put on a few events each year to boost our total, and I am proud that (outside of London) Birmingham has raised the most sponsorship each year.
Huge thanks to Conrad for everything he does to support our work and the industry at large. It’s thanks to people like Conrad we’re able to help more hospitality people than ever before. To join Conrad at the Birmingham Walk for Wellbeing or to find a hosted walk near you, click here.