Crash victim Olivia-Violet's memory lives on at primary school
Friends of a young girl who was killed by a drunk driver will be presented with gifts in her memory.
Olivia-Violet Reeves died last June when she was struck by a car driven by pensioner Roger Goodall as she walked to catch the bus home from school.
The 11-year-old died despite the efforts of passers-by and the emergency services.
Following her death, her aunt Amanda Reeves decided to create a calendar of images of Olivia-Violet’s favourite animals.
Having visited the school Olivia-Violet attended, St George’s Juniors in Shrewsbury, and seeing how her death had affected the children, Amanda decided to sell copies of the calendar and donate the proceeds to the school.
Headteacher Sharon Munro said: “The Reeves family came in to see us and brought with them a calendar which featured some of Olivia’s favourite animals.
Some of the photos, such as killer whales, had been taken by her aunt on a trip to Alaska.
“The calendar was then reproduced and sold and the money raised was donated to St George’s pupils in recognition of their bravery and courage in supporting the family following Olivia’s death.
“The calendar raised £726 and the family want the money to go towards treating the children to something.”
The children were told about the donation at a special assembly on Friday and are now having a think about what they would like it to be spent on.
They will be presented with their presents in late March, to mark what would have been Olivia-Violet’s 12th birthday.
Amanda said: “Olivia-Violet had not seen any of the photos that are in the calendar.
“Me and my mother-in-law paid for the printing and we contacted the school and said we wanted to give them the money to allow the children to have something nice. The school have been very supportive to us through all of this.”
But this is not the only way the children will remember the Year 6 pupil.
Throughout February and March they will be recycling plastic. “Olivia was a very keen environmentalist and this is something she would have done. Plastics will be a real issue for this generation,” added Mrs Munro.
“Olivia never left St George’s and we want her memory to live on.”
The school has also involved its parent teacher association in creating a Sea Shanty area in the grounds where pupils can go at lunch time should they want a peaceful haven.
“There are going to be colouring tables and ropes and animals that will remind everyone of Olivia,” said Mrs Munro.
“It will hopefully be ready for the end of the school year.”
Olivia-Violet loved conservation and was keen to study more about animals as she grew up.
She had previously raised money for the needy both at home and abroad.
When she was just five she donated her shoes to a girl in Africa and offered her sweet money to provide children with water on the African continent.
She also asked her fellow classmates, when she was in Year 1 at Coleham Primary, to donate their unwanted cuddly toys for the dogs at Rodens Dogs Trust.
When she was 10, she single-handedly arranged a 24-hour sponsored silence to raise money for the David Seldrick Wildlife Trust to help save the elephants.
Goodall, of The Mount, Shrewsbury, was handed a four-and-a-half year prison sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court in September after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of Olivia-Violet, of Worthen, by dangerous driving.
The 77-year-old, who had previously admitted driving above the alcohol limit, was also banned from driving for five years starting from his release date.
