In response to the Urban Dictionary's definition of Redditch, Rachel said:
“This must have been written by a very sad person, and I feel sorry for them.
“Life is what you make it, and Redditch is one of the best places in the country to make something of your life. I would be very happy to show them around and to introduce them to the wonderful community who make up the beating heart of our town. If they came off social media and off their screen, perhaps they would see the beautiful greenery, open spaces, parks, and nature we have in abundance.
“Whoever wrote that misinformed post looks down on estates, but these safe and quiet streets and closes are the perfect place to live and raise a family, with friends and neighbours close by.
“Of course, no matter where anyone lives, there will always be a minority of people who talk their town down, but having been your MP for the past six years and speaking to literally thousands of local residents, I know the vast majority of people are proud of Redditch – and so they should be.
“Redditch is home to the most community-minded residents, world-leading businesses and good and outstanding schools ensuring your children receive an excellent education.
“This doesn’t mean that we don’t have our challenges, and the desperate need for the regeneration of our town centre is one of them. We have a plan and we’re tackling this challenge thanks to one of the single largest investments the Government has ever made in Redditch to unlock our town’s full potential.
“We will regenerate our town centre and encourage new businesses to open there to compete with other shopping destinations and night-time economies.
“We will build a digital innovation and manufacturing centre to ensure residents have the skills they need for the jobs of the future.
“We’re also seeing a huge amount of investment in our much-loved Alexandra Hospital, we’re getting a brand-new railway station, a joint police and fire station is being built as we speak, and Arrow Vale High School has been selected to take part in the Government’s School Rebuilding Programme.
“There is so much to be proud of and to be positive about, and I will continue to talk Redditch up, not down.”
