Ace Places Playing Cards has donated a further £396.50 to Longridge Activity, taking the total raised for the Marlow charity to £1,843.25 and the company’s overall charitable giving to £4,176.79.
The latest donation represents 25p from every Marlow Playing Card sold between April 2025 and March 2026, continuing a commitment that has been part of the pack since it launched in 2023. Longridge plans to put the money towards creating a designated swimming area in the Thames, helping more people enjoy the river safely and adding another local facility for the community.
Emma Sweet, founder of Ace Places Playing Cards, said: “I really like knowing that the money raised through the Marlow packs is going towards something tangible that people in the area will hopefully be able to enjoy for years to come. Longridge is such a fantastic local organisation, and helping contribute towards its plans to create a designated swimming area in the Thames feels incredibly fitting for a pack that is all about celebrating Marlow and encouraging people to enjoy what is on their doorstep.”
More than £4,000 given back locally
Since Ace Places launched its first Henley Playing Cards in March 2023, £4,176.79 has now been donated to local charities and community organisations through pack sales and associated community activities. Alongside Longridge, beneficiaries have included The Kenton Theatre, The Chiltern Centre, Macmillan Cancer Support, Henley Rotary Club and Henley WI.
Each Ace Places pack supports a nominated local cause, with 25p from every pack sold donated back into the community it celebrates.
Emma added: “The businesses featured in the cards are already investing in the places where they operate, so it feels absolutely right that the packs themselves should give something back too. When someone buys a Marlow pack, they’re discovering local businesses and places, supporting the shops and venues selling the cards, and contributing to a grassroots organisation like Longridge. There are several layers of local benefit within one product.”
Supporting independent businesses as well as local charities
The Marlow Playing Cards feature independent businesses, landmarks, attractions and local stories from across the town, with each card designed to encourage people to discover somewhere new. For Ace Places, supporting independent businesses and supporting local charities go hand in hand.
The businesses featured in the pack help create a product that celebrates Marlow, stockists benefit financially from selling the packs, and customers are encouraged to explore and spend locally. At the same time, every pack sold generates a donation for Longridge, creating a circle of support within the town.
Emma said: “Ace Places has always been about much more than selling playing cards. The aim is to create something that supports the whole local ecosystem. The businesses get greater visibility, retailers make money from selling the packs, customers discover new places and a local charity benefits every time a pack is sold. That community focus is at the heart of the business.”
Marlow Treasure Hunt adds another way to give back
That community focus has expanded further this year with the launch of the Marlow Treasure Hunt, which encourages residents and visitors to explore the town, solve clues and notice details they might normally walk straight past.
Maps cost £3.50 and are available exclusively from the Marlow Museum pop-up at All Saints Church Hall, next to the George & Dragon. For every map sold, 50p is donated directly to Marlow Museum.
Everyone who successfully completes the treasure hunt also receives a Marlow fridge magnet worth £6, featuring artwork from the Marlow Playing Cards, as well as some additional prizes. The treasure hunt runs until the end of 2026, giving residents and visitors plenty of time to take part.
Emma said: “The treasure hunt takes the same idea behind the playing cards and turns it into an experience. It gets people walking around Marlow, noticing the town, discovering local places and hopefully spending some time with our independent businesses along the way. Marlow Museum does such an important job of celebrating and preserving the town’s story, so it felt particularly fitting that the treasure hunt should support them too.”
A community-focused business from the start
Ace Places launched with the Henley Playing Cards in March 2023, followed by Marlow later that year. Each pack contains 54 illustrated playing cards featuring independent businesses, landmarks, events and local stories, with the aim of encouraging people to discover more of the place they live in or are visiting.
The Henley Playing Cards currently support The Kenton Theatre, while the monthly Henley Card Club has also raised funds for The Chiltern Centre. Earlier donations have supported Henley Rotary Club, Macmillan Cancer Support and Henley WI.
Emma concluded: “Community is not an add-on to Ace Places. It is the reason the business exists. Our local businesses make the packs possible, the cards encourage people to support those businesses, and every pack gives something back to a local cause. Now the Marlow Treasure Hunt is doing the same for Marlow Museum. It creates a proper circle of local support, and that is something I’m really proud of.”
Ace Places’ community-focused approach has also received external recognition. In April 2026, the business was named runner-up in the Community category for South and Thames Valley at the Small Business Growth Awards, hosted by HSBC and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Captions: Headline photo - Amanda Foister from Longridge with two fans of the Activity Centre holding the Marlow pack with the Longridge six of spades, at the site where the new designated swimming area will feature.
Awards photo: Emma Sweet, Founder of Ace Places with Nadia Tietz Santos (right) from HSBC. Full story here.
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