It was with great sadness that we learnt that our former Project Manager, Christina Brinded, who was a founder member and staunch supporter of the Bonds Meadow Community Association, died suddenly but peacefully at home on 3rd June 2023.
Christina was born in Sweden but lived in Oulton for over 50 years. She was a life-long conservationist who loved wildlife and green spaces. She did whatever she could to protect them. For several years, she was a volunteer organiser for the World Wildlife Trust and organised several of WWF’s Walks for Wildlife at Dunwich which raised considerable sums for WWF. Christina always looked to future generations and successfully encouraged local schools to take part.

Christina turned her attention to Bonds Meadow, which is close to where she lived, in the late 1980’s when the owners of most of it, Suffolk County Council, no longer required it. There were concerns that it could be sold for building so Christina, together with other local people, set up an informal group to protest against this. A campaign of letters, a petition and a march from Oulton Broad to Lowestoft Town Centre made Suffolk County Council listen and they passed ownership to Waveney District Council so it could remain as a public open space. Waveney invited the campaign group to manage it and so the Bonds Meadow Community Association was formed.
Bonds Meadow had always been loved by the local community. Generations of children played there and it was a popular dog-walking area but no-one had responsibility to care for it and it had started to become somewhat of a rubbish tip in places.
As Project Manager, Christina formed work parties and started to put things right. She was particularly keen to encourage native species, especially wildflowers, where possible. Bonds Meadow became recognised as a County Wildlife Site and an important “green corridor” which enables wildlife to move between the open spaces which still exist in the area but have become hemmed in by development.
As a Fine Arts graduate, Christina also loved the arts. In the early years she was able to combine her passions by liaising with arts organisations, in particular, open air performances of Shakespeare in Bonds Meadow. The Meadow made the perfect backdrop for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor”.
Christina stepped down as Project Manager 10 years ago owing to a back injury but was able to pass Bonds Meadow into the capable hands of Peter Aldous who was a long-standing volunteer who had worked alongside Christina. Peter and his team have continued to build on the foundation Christina laid. Bonds Meadow became an award-winning organisation cumulating in the highest “Distinction Award” from the RHS/Anglia “It’s Your Neighbourhood” Award which recognises the benefit Bonds Meadow brings to our community.
A celebration of Christina’s life took place in St. Michael’s Church on 9th August where fitting tributes were made to her. Christina loved music and the service included Swedish folk songs. Her family travelled from Sweden and were very moved when told of the full extent of what Christina had done for Bonds Meadow.
Christina’s ashes are interred in St. Michael’s Churchyard overlooking Oulton Marshes, another place she loved.
Christina is greatly missed by her friends at Bonds Meadow but her lasting legacy is the beautiful and tranquil oasis which is Bonds Meadow today. Without Christina’s vision and tenacity it would not exist.