Dear Zoe and all,

I hope you don’t mind me replying to everyone but I can honestly say this has really upset me. I haven’t seen David in a few years now and this has come as quite a shock. Just the other month I drove passed The Wadkin Arms in Osgodby which was the last place I saw David, when I met him for a pint there about 4 years ago.
I don’t know if many of you remember me as a student or if any of you had the unfortunate luck of teaching me. I know Rob Barratt probably remembers me and Kit, who were part of his and David’s class for Media in Sixth Form. Hands down to this day our favourite lesson throughout our entire education.
I hope this wouldn’t offend anyone in this email but David really was the best teacher me and a lot at Hall Cross ever had the pleasure of being taught by. Funny, engaging, smart, took a real interest in your work, had us watch some bizarre movies and play Beatles Rock Band in double lessons. All the while teaching us whilst we were having nothing but fun and saw it as an extremely easy 2 hours. He really was a legend, to not just me and my friends, but near enough everyone who was taught by him. There is even an old, archived Facebook group celebrating him and Mr. Handy.

I could waffle on a lot more about David and how we went to watch Doncaster v Leicester with my family, he came around mine for a BBQ and drinks one summer evening whilst I was at university, our trip to Disneyland Paris in Sixth Form where he wasn’t shy at buying me a pint or two or his help in getting me a palcement working at Hall Cross whilst at uni when I was thinking of pursuing teaching. His introduction of me to the little Plough in Doncaster, across from the station where me and Kit would join David and a few other maths teachers for a pint after school; playing Uno with the gang and breaking down the student v teacher relationship by treating us fresh-faced 18 year olds as equals.
Zoe, although I have never met you personally, I feel like I have through how David would talk about you. I really can’t stress enough to you how wonderful a man/teacher/friend he was and was adored by nearly all his students and is still regarded by many of them as their favourite teacher. In fact, I am sure my secret answer to log-in to certain websites, to the question ‘Who was your favourite teacher?’ is COOKE.
Rest in peace Mr.Cooke/Cookie/Dave – I will raise a glass to him later in remembrance