Shoppers, bakers, millers and farmers are being urged to join the crusade for wholesome loaves by becoming members of the Real Bread Campaign.

Project officer Chris Young said: "This is the chance for everyone who cares about the state of bread in Britain to add their voices to the unified cry for Real Bread that is better for us, better for our communities and better for the planet."

Its new national membership scheme costs £20 for individuals and £50 for businesses and offers discounts and benefits.

Members get four issues of quarterly magazine True Loaf, a membership card offering discounts, access to the members’ area of the Real Bread Campaign website and Real Baker-e, an online community where members can find and share supportive advice, ideas and information, along with invitations to Real Bread events.

Discounts include a free eco bag, giving 10% off bread from Gail’s London bakeries, baker’s dozen loyalty cards for free loaves at Oxfordshire-based The Old Farmhouse Bakery and Scottish bakery Tigh Fuine, as well as discounts from bakeries such as Rickmans-worth’s Cinnamon Square, and Cotton’s Craft Bakery, based in Southampton. Further bene-fits, tailored especially to bake-ries and other businesses, such as training courses and sup-port materials, will be added next year.

Supported by the Big Lottery Fund which is contributing £240,000 over four years the Real Bread Campaign encourages the increased production and consumption of Real Bread and opposes "questionable industrial substitutes".

The scheme is being launched with a competition to find Silly Loaf Song titles such as ’Loaf and Let Die’ and ’Another Little Pitta my Heart’. The winning entry received @RealBread on Twitter between 14-30 September will receive a year’s free individual membership.