Help Yourself Society

Published July 07, 2016 • Updated May 12, 2022

The “Help Yourself” Society was formed in 1927 to run fundraising activities for hospitals.

The “Help Yourself” Society was a charity formed in 1927 to run fundraising activities for hospitals and other institutions. The Society organised prize draws as well as published playing cards and annuals which were sponsored by advertising. Funds were distributed amongst organisations nominated by the trustees. After the Second World War, with the creation of the National Health Service, the Society shifted its support from hospitals and large institutions to smaller charitable organisations which relied on voluntary contributions for the bulk of their income. The Society was wound up in 1986.

The Society Motto was “Adde parum parvo magnus acervus erit” - Add a little to a little and there will be a great heap.

pack specially made for the “Help Yourself” Society by Thomas de la Rue & Co Ltd

assorted back designs featuring a female beefeater from packs specially made for the “Help Yourself” Society

Above: assorted back designs featuring a female beefeater (Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London) from packs specially made for the “Help Yourself” Society, c.1930s.

Above: pack specially made for the “Help Yourself” Society, 3 Copthall Buildings, London EC2 by Thomas de la Rue & Co Ltd, c.1930. The back design promotes the “Help Yourself” Annual.

Above: pack specially made for the “Help Yourself” Society, Arundel House, Arundel Street, London WC2 by John Waddington Ltd., 1930s. The two shillings price was to help fundraising. Image courtesy Matt Probert.

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By Simon Wintle

Spain • Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.