by Helen Fairley

hfairley@thekmgroup.co.uk

Shoppers can swap their plastic bags for a unique handmade fabric one by visiting the Mall Chequers in Maidstone this week.

Members of North Downs district Women’s Institute branches will be in the shopping centre throughout the day on Friday, June 26 handing out their own handmade bags, each of which bears the label, “A reusable bag made by and for the people of Maidstone.”

Maidstone Town Centre Management has donated the labels as part of its Bin the Plastic Bag campaign to help the town become plastic bag-free.

Members of Hollingbourne WI began making their own bags in January last year using material donated to them for recycling.

They ran workshops to make the bags which were given to the local shop and other village organisations to hand out to villagers to use in place of plastic carriers.

Branch president Val Williams said the 16 women made about 500 bags in all. She said: “Once they started to be produced, people started to bring more material in. It became a material-recycling centre.”

Mrs Williams and other Hollingbourne WI members were at the launch of Maidstone Town Centre Management’s Bin the Plastic Bag campaign earlier this year.

Members of other branches of the North Downs District of the WI have now also started making the bags.

They hope to have several hundred available to give away to shoppers in the Mall Chequers in exchange for their plastic bags.

Members will also be on hand to give information about local branches of the WI.