Joanna Rookes, 35, was killed
in a tragic road accident on
January 4 2004 on Newbiggin in
Malton as she was unloading suitcases
from a parked car outside
her aunt's home.
Her entire family, including
parents Robert and Caroline and
sisters Julie, Gina and Janine,
together with five nephews and
two nieces, were devastated and
were determined Joanna, who
had been a medical secretary for
10 years and lived at Smithson
Court in Malton, should not be
forgotten.
At the suggestion of their
priest, Fr Tim Bywater, they set
about raising funds to help provide
a new library for St Mary's
RC Primary School, where
Joanna and her sisters were past
pupils.
They have since raised £11,000
for the Joanna Rookes Fund, and
the fundraising continues with a
Blast from the Past Night at
Ryedale Bowls Club this weekend.
Meanwhile, planning permission
is being sought for a new
library and hall extension at the
school and headteacher David
Harrison hopes work can start
next month.
Joanna's sister, Julie Render,
said: "We wanted something tangible
we could remember Joanna
by – she was so popular.
"We're all ex-pupils at St
Mary's, my cousins went there
and my own children. I have a
nine-year-old daughter there now.
It's a good school but it doesn't
have a library, so we decided to
raise funds for one."
The whole family has been
involved in all fundraising events
over the last four years and
they'll be out in force again for
Saturday night's disco at the
bowls club in Norton with music
from the rock 'n' roll era, the 60s,
70s and Motown.
Julie said they hope to raise
about £1,000 for the fund.
St Mary's head, Mr Harrison,
said the lack of a library and
need for a bigger hall were highlighted
in the school's 2003 Ofsted
report but the school had now got
a local authority grant to provide
them.
He said: "We're very fortunate
that Julie and her family have set
up this appeal to celebrate
Joanna's life and support the
school.
"The money they raise will be
used to enhance the library with
computers and fingertip recognition
pads – all the wonderful
things we wouldn't be able to
afford in our normal budget for
the project.