Stars flock to Englefield House in West Berkshire to celebrate the life of TV presenter Caroline Flack at festival Flackstock

Family and friends gathered to pay tribute to TV presenter Caroline Flack at a festival in her honour.

Around 5,000 people enjoyed Flackstock, which was held at Englefield House on Monday, with the aims of having fun and raising money for mental health charities.

The presenter died by suicide in February 2020 at the age of 40 and her family and friends said the festival celebrated her life with a day “full of dancing”, comedy and music.

All money raised by the event will go to charities Mind, Samaritans, Choose Love and the West Berkshire-based Charlie Waller Trust.

Caroline’s sister Jody opened the event, before a host of stars – all Caroline’s friends – took to the stage on the Englefield lawn throughout the evening.

A giant salsa lesson took place courtesy of Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara and Aljaž Škorjanec; DJ sets were played by Howard Donald, Sigma, James Haskell and Kimberley Wyatt; while Ronan Keating, Tom Grennan, Natalie Imbruglia, Louise Rednapp and Pixie Lott also took to the stage to perform.

X Factor star Lucie Jones sang a moving rendition of She Used to Be Mine, from the musical Waitress – the song she performed at Caroline’s funeral – before Olly Murs finished the evening off perfectly with Sweet Caroline.

Other stars who took to the stage to talk about their own mental health battles and memories of Caroline, or who were just milling around in the crowds to show their support included Rylan Clark, Fleur East, Ellie Prohan, Ben West, Dermot O’Leary, Joel Dommet, Keith Lemon, Paul Danan, Ben Ofoedu and Shaughna Phillips.

Rylan told the Newbury Weekly News: “I’m here for one of my good friends, Caroline, and I’m so proud of her friends and family who put this on.

“It’s such an amazing event; I never thought it would be like this. It’s so lovely seeing everyone here celebrating one of our girls.”

Organiser, presenter and friend of Caroline’s, Natalie Pinkham said the evening had been “amazing”.

“The response has been gorgeous,” she added. “Looking around there’s such a lovely energy.

“It’s a really positive legacy for Caroline, which is the main thing.”

Richard Waller, chair of the Charlie Waller Trust, which had a tent with guest speakers and mindfulness all evening, said the event had given the charity the opportunity to promote two key things – empowering parents and trying to set up a national network and working with schools to ensure earlier intervention.

“Something as high profile as this event is brilliant,” he added.

Clare Stafford, CEO of the charity, which was set up by the Waller family after Richard’s younger brother Charlie took his own life, said: “There really is some concerning increases in mental health problems among young people and adults, and it is particularly following the pandemic, but also due to things like the high cost of living.

“There’s a real need for our work so the more people we can reach and the more money we can raise will all help.

“Statutory services are under a lot of pressure so the charity sector can help with that early intervention.”

Free tickets were given to 250 mental health nurses from across the country to attend the event and the thousands of people in the crowds gave them a huge cheer when it was announced by mental health activist Ben West, who spoke in the Charlie Waller tent later in the evening.

“You are amazing,” he told the nurses. “I know people who owe their lives to you.”

In the crowds people sat on deck chairs and hay bales and danced and sang – and joined in the salsa lesson.

There was a giant portrait of Caroline on a wall for everyone to leave their own messages on – many simply said 'be kind'.

Jane Hamilton, from Pewsey, who was in the crowds in front of the stage said: “We’re having a great time; it’s amazing. We wanted to support it and it’s for some amazing causes and it’s really good fun.”

Amanda, who had travelled with her daughter and sister from Dunstable to be at the festival, added: “It is a nice relaxing atmosphere here; we’re really enjoying it.”

Former Hollyoaks star Paul Danan, who took to the stage to introduce Louise Redknapp, told the NWN how he had coped with his own struggles by speaking out about them.

“If people don’t learn to talk about things then they will keep it inside,” he said. “It takes the power away from it if you talk about it.

“I just wish she [Caroline] had spoken up and that’s what breaks my heart. We need to learn from that.

“Today is a special day and I know she’s here with us.”

Pictures by Phil Cannings.