LOCAL MP Rachel Maclean popped down to the pub recently – not for a drink but to say a big thank you for helping the community through the pandemic.

The MP for Redditch visited the Oast House in Church Hill run by Emma Firth to personally congratulate them on winning the Redditch Community Pub Hero Award.

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

It received the most nominations from residents.

The 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, it 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.

After her visit the MP said: “It was great to meet Emma and to congratulate her in person after her pub was voted Redditch’s Community Pub Hero. The Oast House really is at the heart of the community, as has been proven this year. Emma and her team really do deserve this award.”