Phil Hughes

It's very sad to hear of the death of Phil Hughes, our Club Chairman, Life Member, sometime Club Champion and Instructor and long-term supporter of the club. If it hadn't been for Phil, the Club probably wouldn't have survived, as he did far more than his fair share of the hard work of looking after the equipment and field, and setting up the big outdoor Tournaments, particularly while the club was located at the St Flora's Road Sports Field (he lived opposite, and usually arrived dramatically by popping up over the high brick wall at the rear of the Parkside Church - he was a wiry man, always remarkably strong and fit) as well as being a steadying influence at committee meetings. A keen Boy Scout who once re-set his brother's broken arm by following the instructions in Scouting for Boys, he started out in his adult life as a professional Soldier, and was in India before Independence, then had a long second career as a Signwriter (which is why Arundown had Signage that was the envy of other clubs). He mostly enjoyed working for Showmen and Circuses, and was also a talented Sculptor. Phil enjoyed archery in at least four decades, and only stopped coming regularly in the last two years. He's been missed during that time, and things will never be quite the same again.
Our thoughts are with his wife Barbara and their children, grandchildren and family.