Teenage mental health champion raises £275 for Manx Wildlife Trust

Seventeen-year-old gives talk about self-proclaimed 'weird pets'

A teenage mental health champion has raised nearly £300 for the Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) with a fascinating talk about how his snakes and other ‘weird’ pets have helped him deal with long-term mental health struggles.

Seventeen-year-old Jessie Quirk entertained a full house at Erin Arts Centre in Port Erin with his talk, 'The Secret Lives of Weird Pets: Snakes, Autism and Me'.

He brought along his western hognose and corn snakes, leaf insects, mantises and a giant African millipede to meet the audience and was joined by Allan Campbell from Zoo2YouIOM.

It was a longtime ambition of Jessie's to organise an event to talk about his mental health and how much his pets have helped keep him alive.

We spoke to him ahead of the event - you can read more HERE.

Jessie said: "I’m still buzzing! It was an incredible night. I was nervous, as it was something so far out of my comfort zone. But when I was away in hospital last year, I made a promise to myself that I would organise an event to talk about my mental health and how much my snakes and other animals have helped keep me alive.

"I’d like to thank everyone who came along to the talk, and for all the kind messages we have received since. Thanks, of course, to Manx Wildlife Trust - we wouldn’t have been able to stage it without its support. Our thanks also to Allan from Zoo2YouIOM, to Gemma from Strand Vets, and to Steve Wright from MWT, who started the night with a talk explaining which reptiles can be found in the wild around the British Isles."

Dr Carmel Croukamp, Head of Engagement for Manx Wildlife Trust added: "It was a real privilege to see Jessie deliver this talk. He brought together knowledge, honesty and real confidence in the subject matter in a way that was both engaging and genuinely inspiring. 

"What stood out was not just the depth of his understanding of these animals, but the way he connected with the audience and handled the evening so naturally. It was a powerful example for young people and parents alike, and we’re incredibly grateful to Jessie for choosing to support MWT through this event."

The 17-year-old has been asked to give a talk at the first ever Eastbourne Invertebrate Convention, a one-day family event on the south coast of England. 

It takes place on Saturday 23 May, and Jessie is busy saving up to cover the travel costs.

We'll be speaking to him before he heads away on the trip.