A CHURCH Hill pub has won a prestigious award after going to extra mile for residents during the pandemic.

Earlier this month, Redditch MP Rachel Maclean teamed up with the Advertiser to find a local pub to nominate for a PubAid Community Pub Hero Award and to be crowned Redditch’s Community Pub Hero.

After residents sent in their nominations, Mrs Maclean has announced the Oast House in Church Hill, run by Emma Firth, has been named Redditch’s Community Pub Hero after receiving the most nominations of any town pub.

The Oast House was confirmed as the winner in recognition of everything Emma and her team have done throughout the pandemic to support their local community.

The Church Hill pub has not only gone the extra mile by offering takeout’s and arranging for a local fruit and veg van to come twice a week on their car park, the Oast House also supplied residents with things they couldn't get hold of such as eggs, flour, toilet rolls & much more.

Emma and her team have also been messaging all their regulars to see how everyone is, making sure they’re all okay and seeing if they need anything.

As well as being crowned Redditch’s Community Pub Hero, Mrs Maclean has also put the Oast House forward for a prestigious PubAid Community Pub Hero Award.

Nominations for the PubAid Awards close on November 30th, at which point judges will then review the entries received and publish a shortlist. All finalists will then be invited, along with their MP, to participate in an online awards ceremony in the new year when the overall winner will be announced. 

General Manager of the Oast House, Emma Firth, said: “We are so over the moon to receive the Redditch Community Pub Hero Award. It’s been a tough year so it’s amazing for us to receive this. A little bit of joy during very difficult times. We would like to thank all of you that nominated us. It means so much.”

Mrs Maclean said: “Huge congratulations to Emma and the team at Oast House for winning the Redditch Community Pub Hero Award and for being put forward for a PubAid Community Pub Award.

“They received the most nominations of any Redditch pub and were the deserving winners after everything Emma and her team have done to support the local community during this pandemic.”