The influential friends she made at this point in her life[2] rallied to her support in 1922 when she was prosecuted for running the Golden Ballot, a charity which raised money for ex-servicemen and various hospitals.
Much of the money Hilda raised was used to build and maintain the Westfield Memorial Village, in Lancaster, which provided homes for disabled veterans of World War 1, as described in the Lancashire Evening Post of 24th May, 2019 (available online).
She wrote The Magic of Herbs in 1926, and in 1927 she opened Culpeper House on Baker Street,[7] a shop selling herbal medicines, food and cosmetics; these proved very successful, especially with women.
[7] Influential friends rallied to Leyel's support, and the bill was modified to enable patients to obtain treatment upon joining the society.
She also joined Sir Albert Howard in his campaign for compost versus synthetic fertilizers, and those working for pure water and food.
Leyel was a proponent of a simpler style of cooking, turning away from the Victorian 'high class' cookery and favouring seasonal and local ingredients.
The book lists 60 picnic menus, the first of which "suggests melon, cold chicken pie, ham and pea salad, chocolate mousse and cream cheese and crescent rolls".