Angus Baskerville - Naughty or Neurodiverse?
Building his life piece by piece
Look out for Angus Baskerville – an inspiring young man whose story is one of determination, resilience and hope.
Angus recently spoke to Pershore Rotary about growing up with autism and the mental health challenges he and his family faced. His honest and engaging talk offered valuable insight into how autism can affect social interaction, communication, friendships, changes in routine, OCD and meltdowns. These challenges contributed to anxiety and depression, as well as the frustration of not always being understood, asking for help, or feeling heard.
Rather than relying solely on medication, Angus and his family explored a range of therapies and support strategies. In his book, Naughty or Neurodiverse?, he writes:
"Managing ASD is like building a puzzle, piece by piece. There's no single fix, but many things can help over time. Therapies don't always yield instant results, but small gains add up."
At the age of 17, Angus discovered magic through a simple card trick. What began as a hobby soon became a passion. The structure, detail and logic of magic perfectly suited the way his mind works, helping him develop confidence, resilience, focus and social skills. Eight years later, he left his day job to become a professional magician, with appearances in local newspapers and on ITV Central News.
Angus ended with a wonderful reminder, quoting Winnie-the-Pooh:
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think."
His message to everyone was simple: there is light at the end of the tunnel. Never give up. With the right support, perseverance and belief in yourself, amazing things are possible.
