THE Kent Messenger is giving away cotton bags in a bid to help Maidstone go plastic bag free.

We have teamed up with Maidstone Town Centre Management to offer 50 cotton 'phold' bags, which can be used instead of carrier bags.

The bags fold up tightly, so they can be stored in handbags or pockets, and brought out at the checkout.

They are free to the first 50 readers who come through the door of our offices, at 6-7 Middle Row, Maidstone, either armed with a copy of today’s Kent Messenger, dated Friday, February 6, or who buy a copy from our reception.

It is hoped Maidstone will be plastic free from March 31.

Town centre manager Bill Moss said: “I am delighted to be working so closely with the Kent Messenger on this project.

“I would love people to try a phold bag and to get their mind conditioned to trying to live without plastic and reducing our dependence on it.”

TCM has commissioned a reusable bag made out of Jute, featuring the slogan It’s in the Bag. That bag is being sold at £2.99 from independent shops. TCM is also sharing 10,000 paper bags, bearing the same slogan, between independent traders.

A launch event for the Bin the Bag campaign will take place on Friday, February 20, at the Royal Star Arcade.

Mr Moss added: “We don’t believe we can completely ban the bag in Maidstone. But if we can reduce people’s usage we predict we can save 400,000 plastic bags going to landfill from Maidstone every year.”

National chains Boots and LUSH! are backing the campaign and Paydens Pharmacy branches in Week Street, High Street and Fremlin Walk have also pledged support.

Danea Charleston, 19, who works and shops in Maidstone, said she would consider using the phold bag.

But she added: “I really think there needs to be some sort of celebrity connection behind it, like there was with the I’m Not a Plastic Bag.”

Geoff Licence, who runs Renaissance Crafts in Starnes Court, Union Street, who supports the campaign, said: “We have always offered paper bags, but we can only order them through the internet.

“We fully support the town going plastic-bag free, but I don’t think that will happen until the government tax carrier bags.”