Help Britain celluloid fundraising pin

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c. 1945

Overview

Celluloid fundraising pin sold during and after World War Two to support the 'Food for Britain' appeal. It features a simplified silhouette of the Australian mainland, notably excluding Tasmania to make production sturdier and easier. The words 'HELP' and 'BRITAIN' are printed in red uppercase letters in two rows across the centre. The celluloid has a pearl lustre to it, being slightly mottled and off-white in colour.
There is a small hole at the top of the badge through which a pin is inserted for attachment. The reverse is plain and there are no maker's marks.

Historical information

The 'Food for Britain' appeal was a humanitarian and fundraising effort launched primarily in Commonwealth countries—most notably Australia, New Zealand and Canada—during and immediately following World War Two to send essential food parcels to the heavily rationed population of the United Kingdom. There were also contributions from dedicated American relief organisations such as CARE International.

Food rationing actually became stricter after the war than it was during active combat, due to wartime exhaustion, severe winter weather, and the near-total bankruptcy of the national economy. The return of the servicemen and women also added to the population and demand.

In Australia, various localised drives, such as the Lord Mayor's Food for Britain Appeal, sprang up across the country. Throughout the mid-to-late 1940s, citizens regularly donated money, surrendered their personal meat and butter ration coupons, and packed thousands of voluntary food parcels to send overseas.

This pin belonged to a sub-drive dedicated to raising money specifically to buy and send food parcels to British families. Citizens would purchase this tag for 6 D and pin it to their clothing, bags, or lapels to publicly show their financial contribution to the patriotic relief.

There are a number of items in the collection relating to this campaign, including some food parcel labels sent from Australia to Great Britain and an asphalted cardboard box which would have contained food sent by CARE International from America.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW01092

Item type

Badges

Collectibles

Ephemera

Themes

Food & Beverage

Social History

War and Conflict

War and Conflict > World War 2