Phil Vallis
Surrey Heath Bonsai Society
Surrey Heath Bonsai Society
In mid November, Surrey Heath Bonsai Society lost one of its longest serving members.
Phil Vallis had been with the club for over 30 years and was known by all as "Phil on the Door".
Some years ago Phil took on the role of being the first person that every member met when they turned up for the club's meetings. He would be sat at his little table by the entrance welcoming everyone with a smile and a joke and signing them in so that Health and Safety could be complied with. He would also badger them for their annual subscriptions or donations towards a visiting speakers fees.
Phil dedicated so much of his bonsai life in helping the newer members by bringing rooted cuttings to hand out at each meeting. His speciality was always walnut, cork bark elm or cuphea which he produced in abundance and gained great pleasure in passing them on to the members for them to grow on.
Outside of bonsai Phil was heavily involved in Tai Chi and was a well respected instructor and had earlier in his life run a successful archery club before getting into rock climbing.
Phil had been in and out of hospital over the past year but had expressed every intention of making it to the clubs' AGM in December. His wishes were always that his trees should remain within the club so at the AGM in December his trees were auctioned off to the club members with all monies going to the British Heart Foundation.
Phil's welcoming smile will be so sorely missed at the club.
Chris Rhodes
Surrey Heath Bonsai Society
Phil Vallis had been with the club for over 30 years and was known by all as "Phil on the Door".
Some years ago Phil took on the role of being the first person that every member met when they turned up for the club's meetings. He would be sat at his little table by the entrance welcoming everyone with a smile and a joke and signing them in so that Health and Safety could be complied with. He would also badger them for their annual subscriptions or donations towards a visiting speakers fees.
Phil dedicated so much of his bonsai life in helping the newer members by bringing rooted cuttings to hand out at each meeting. His speciality was always walnut, cork bark elm or cuphea which he produced in abundance and gained great pleasure in passing them on to the members for them to grow on.
Outside of bonsai Phil was heavily involved in Tai Chi and was a well respected instructor and had earlier in his life run a successful archery club before getting into rock climbing.
Phil had been in and out of hospital over the past year but had expressed every intention of making it to the clubs' AGM in December. His wishes were always that his trees should remain within the club so at the AGM in December his trees were auctioned off to the club members with all monies going to the British Heart Foundation.
Phil's welcoming smile will be so sorely missed at the club.
Chris Rhodes
Surrey Heath Bonsai Society