Helvetia Philatelic Society

Welcome to the Helvetia Philatelic Society of Great Britain.

The Society is a national organisation that exists for the benefit of people interested in collecting the stamps and postal history of Switzerland and furthering the interests of Swiss philately in general.

Northern Group meetings have now been arranged for 2010/2011. Please click here to see the Calendar of Events

Change of Meeting Venues!

With effect from February 2010, Southern Group meetings will be held at the Cricket Field House Hotel, Wilton Road, Salisbury. www.cricketfieldhouse.co.uk
Have a look at What's On to see the subject for the next meeting.

Also, please note that the Northern Group have a change of venue. Until further notice meetings will be held at Corporation Mill, Corporation Street, Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax. Meetings are held in the canteen and commence at 2.00pm.

There are approximately 160 members based in the United Kingdom, with many others living overseas. The Society holds regular meetings in London, Leeds and Salisbury, and more recently, has introduced an annual Philatelic Weekend, which is proving very popular.

Member's interests are varied: many specialise in stamps; some are interested in postal history (e.g. early postal routes and postmarks), others collect Cinderella material, such as Swiss Revenues, Hotel Post, and Switzerland's Soldier Stamps. Many members also have an interest in the country itself and collect on the basis of a theme.

The Society publishes a monthly Newsletter that, over a period of time, builds into an extensive library containing information about Swiss philately and about the country. Members can place small adverts here if there is something they particularly want, or if they have material surplus to requirement. Dealers of Swiss philatelic material may also advertise in the Newsletter, for a small fee.

Members have access to an excellent Library from which books, magazines and philatelic journals may be borrowed. Much of the library stock has been obtained from sources in mainland Europe, with the result that many items are written in either German or French. Some of these have been translated and published in the Newsletter, others, due to copyright regulations, have not.

Sales packets, containing stamps, covers and cards are circulated to members from September through to the following June. There are opportunities to buy material at attractive prices, well below those normally charged on the open market.