Over 400 people from as far and wide as Switzerland, Paris, Dover and Edinburgh made their way to Westholme School to meet dog rescuer Niall Harbison.
Niall, a social media sensation who has gained over a million followers documenting his stray dog rescues in Thailand, took part in a live Q&A at the independent school’s Croston Theatre in Blackburn.
Niall is the latest author to visit the school – following in the footsteps of Jacqueline Wilson, Konnie Huq and A.F. Steadman.
Niall, who also stayed after the Q&A to sign copies of his new book ‘Hope’ and pose for photographs with fans, passed on his knowledge to Westholme students in a pre-event interview.
After working in the corporate world as a private chef, and later running his own advertising and marketing business, Niall’s mental health declined and he turned to drink and drugs.
His journey started when he moved to Thailand and started to feed a couple of strays dogs. Soon he was feeding upward of 80 dogs a day before starting to take them to the vets for check-ups and medicine.
He said: “It just built up really fast and I was sort of sharing it on social media, but I just thought it was for my friends and family, really, but then it just started kind of exploding from there.”
Niall advised students to “live in the moment, because life can pass you by.
“We can all get beaten down in life.?We all go through ups and downs. Life has a way of knocking you down, but you just have to keep picking yourself back up and have a little bit of hope because better days will always be coming.”
Speaking about overcoming challenges in Thailand when rescuing the dogs, he said the language barrier and cultural difficulties were the main hurdles.
He said: “You have to be quite adaptable. I think a smile goes a long way - even if you don't speak the same language.”
He joked that his own time management needed work but said: “Delegate as much as you can, build a good team around you, and trust them.”
When speaking about his journey, Niall said he wanted to feel a sense of purpose.
“In the corporate world, I just felt like I was pushing numbers around spreadsheets and sending emails. I was just like, nobody's ever going to remember you for that, are they??
“I wanted to find a little bit of meaning in life. Working with the dogs, I can literally save a life in a day so when I go to bed at night, I feel like I've achieved something so it's just a different perspective on life that I've got.”
These days, Niall said exercise is the biggest mood booster.
He explained: “I did have mental health issues and I always noticed once you stop the exercise. Even if it's just a 20 minute walk, just get out there.?You have to keep that stuff up because it gives you the serotonin and the natural boosts that can help you.”?
He also said it’s important to make time for you, and emphasised how beneficial it is to talk to others.
“Just find someone to talk to - maybe a friend or a parent or someone you can trust. It can be a scary thing to address, but talking to somebody halves the problem.”
Looking back at his journey, Niall said he had no regrets, adding: “You can't change the past.”
His final advice to students at Westholme is: “Don't get hung up on your career choices.?I was terrible in school and I failed the same year a few times. It doesn't define you.?
“Have goals and try your very best, but sometimes I think in life, it's very tough to know what you're going to do, and you might not find that until you're 22 or 23, what you really love, so don't sweat it, do your best.?But you might end up doing something totally different.?
“Embrace change and embrace opportunities and possibilities.?If you have a core skill set that you've learned in school, you can apply that to a lot of things.”
Niall was welcomed on to stage by Fatimah Ahmed, Deputy Head Girl, and Bill Kenny. The Q&A was conducted by BBC Radio 2 Presenter Phil Williams.