A 17‑year‑old mental health champion has raised £275 for Manx Wildlife Trust after delivering a packed‑out talk in Port Erin.
Jessie Quirk spoke about how his snakes and other unusual pets have helped him cope with long‑term mental health challenges.
Quirk drew a full audience to the Erin Arts Centre for The Secret Lives of Weird Pets: Snakes, Autism & Me, where he spoke openly about living with autism, ADHD and severe social anxiety.
Mental Health
He also introduced the crowd to his western hognose and corn snakes, leaf insects, mantises and a giant African millipede. He was joined by Allan Campbell from Zoo2YouIOM, who brought several larger snakes for the audience to meet.
Manx Wildlife Trust supported the event, with Jessie donating all ticket proceeds and inviting attendees to contribute further if they wished to take home one of the terrariums he had created for each table.
Jessie said he was “still buzzing” after the event, adding that he had promised himself during a hospital stay last year that he would one day speak publicly about his mental health and the role his animals have played in helping him through difficult periods.
He thanked the audience, Manx Wildlife Trust, Zoo2YouIOM, Strand Vets and MWT’s Steve Wright, who opened the evening with a talk on native British reptiles.
Jessie has now been invited to speak at the first Eastbourne Invertebrate Convention on May 23 and is fundraising to cover travel costs.
Dr Carmel Croukamp, Head of Engagement at Manx Wildlife Trust, said Jessie delivered the talk with “knowledge, honesty and real confidence”, describing it as both engaging and inspiring.
