Caroline Flack-inspired 'Be Kind' T-shirt raises £200,000 for Samaritans
A T-shirt inspired by Caroline Flack encouraging people to "be kind" has raised more than £200,000 for a mental health charity just days after her death.
The Love Island host, 40, was found dead after taking her own life at her east London home on Saturday.
Flack’s death has sparked conversation around online bullying and awareness of mental health and support.
After her death, people on social media began circulating a quote the presenter shared on Instagram in December that reads: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”
Anything ... we can literally choose to be anything ....
A post shared by Caroline (@carolineflack) on Dec 5, 2019 at 2:01pm PST
On Tuesday, fashion brand InTheStyle launched a T-shirt emblazoned with the quote and said 100 per cent of the profits would be donated to the Samaritans.
“In light of recent tragic events and the ongoing mental health battles faced by so many we feel it’s so important as a brand to use our platform to raise further awareness to mental health and the impacts surrounding this,” the company wrote.
“You honestly NEVER know what goes on behind closed doors and being kind costs nothing,” the retailer added.
Just 24 hours after the shirt went on sale, InTheStyle said it had raised £200,000 for the charity and the T-shirts were for now out of stock.
“The sole purpose of these #BeKind tees was to spread love, raise awareness and donations for charity and it’s definitely done that," a company spokesman said.
“I know everyone is so deeply sad in light of recent events but people coming together in support of this is just so special and this money raised will have such a huge impact for so many people who need it.”
Meanwhile, former Love Island contestant Molly-Mae Hague announced all profits from her clothing collaboration would be donated to mental health charity Mind, following Flack’s death.
It comes after an inquest on Wednesday heard that Flack was found hanged in her home.
Poplar's Coroner's Court was told on Wednesday that police were flagged down outside the 40-year-old television presenter's home in Stoke Newington, north-east London, on Saturday, February 15.
Officers "found [her] lying on her back, she had apparently been found hanging”, coroner’s officer Sandra Polson said.
Police attempted resuscitation, which was then continued by paramedics, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please contact the Samaritans on 116123 (free) or email jo@samaritans.org.
