Alex Forbes, Chair of Wimbledon CND Disarmament Coalition writes:

Sadly we have to report the death of Christine Bickerstaff, who was a staunchmember of Wimbledon Disarmament Coalition/CND ever since its inception in the1980s, who was particularly active in helping with our annual Fete of the Earth.

Christine was determined that our group should continue after the death of our previous Chair Maisie Carter, telling me ‘I’m terrified of a nuclear war, please help keep the campaign going’, and so she volunteered as treasurer. Christine attended our steering committee meetings and leaflet sessions in Wimbledon. In particular, she helped organise leafletting for our screenings of the film Oppenheimer in Wimbledon last year.

She was brilliant at engaging with the public, despite struggling to walk and stand at times. She was eventually persuaded to meet the group at her house, but by then had become quite ill and gone into hospital.

In addition to her work with Wimbledon DC/CND, Christine was a stalwart of several other groups over many years: a supporter of our local Merton Palestine Solidarity Campaign, frequently attending stalls to help leaflet, as recently as last year. She also supported Cuba Solidarity Campaign and Amnesty International.

Christine was well known in Wimbledon Labour Party as well, where she helped coordinate leafletting, and joined in canvassing sessions. She stood in the Wimbledon West by-election in November 1975 and for election as a Councillor in Dundonald ward in 2014.

Christine will be fondly remembered and greatly missed; her passion and determination certainly inspired me.