Whilst rich developers sniffed around the recently-vacated United Reformed Church on Frome’s Whittox Lane, Io Fox continued her daily school run to Vallis First School without even the notion that one day she and her husband Ed Roberts would ever be its new owners.
As she passed the closed up church, she daydreamed about the possibility of taking it on and converting it into a community space, a bustling hub of activities for young families in the area. The idea seemed so far fetched that she jokingly introduced the concept to her husband Ed, but he didn’t laugh it off as an impossible dream (ok, initially he did but then came around to the idea). Instead, the pair set to the creation of a plan for the space so that they could put forward an offer.
The recently-married couple were fortunate enough to have inherited some money from Ed’s father. His father, a naval and then environmental engineer, who patented many products along the way, had recently sold a business. Rather than waiting until he had passed on, he wanted to see his children establish themselves and their families in as comfortable a manner as possible. Most couples given such a windfall might perhaps buy a new house, a fancy car, go on a family holiday or several, splash out on those luxury items that they’d always dreamed of. Io and Ed, however, are not most couples, and their journey over the past year has been anything but luxurious.
Io explains that the news that their offer on the church had been accepted was greeted with a deep sense of shock, they were aware that their offer was significantly less than others received. The church owners however had a strong sense of what they wanted to replace them, and a redevelopment into posh apartments was not it.
Io and Ed had proposed a plan which saw the space opening up to the community, with a family-friendly cafe in the main church space and various other rooms open for hire for family-oriented groups. The HUBnub Centre has adhered closely to that initial plan and the timetable of events and activities which take place there grows by the day.
They are happy to have welcomed Openstorytellers into the fold as tenants and have just launched their own gallery space, their first exhibition shows the wonderful work of artist Pine Feroda. The Rye Bakery at the heart of the centre is very child-friendly with a vast play area for the children to play when the parents relax over a beverage and some food. You are also invited to bring your own picnic blanket out to the garden where you can shelter under a tree in the fresh air whilst the children have a run about.
I asked Ed and Io what inspired the purchase of such an enormous building and taking on such a huge project, I mean this type of venture had not figured in either of their lives to this point. Ed, a part-time nurse practitioner and Io, a part-time special needs teacher were undaunted by the prospect of taking on such a scheme, which involved a huge amount of building conservation work before they could even think about potential tenants and activities. Continuing with the day jobs, Io and Ed oversaw the building works and despite the stresses that kind of existence would put any normal couple under, they persevered undaunted.
Ed and Io met in Frome, although it seems that they were always destined to meet, considering that they could have crossed paths at so many junctures in their past. Io, born in Liverpool and raised in Hebden Bridge and Ed, raised in Surrey, educated in Liverpool, crossed paths unknowingly many times before their final fateful meeting in Frome’s Archangel pub. The pair have 4 children between them, Ed has 2 boys from a previous relationship and Io has a son from a previous relationship too, they also have a son between them and are now getting ready to welcome a new member to the fold in the next few weeks; this time they’ve been told it’s a girl, but they are not hedging their bets.
Ed was the middle child in a family of 5. His brother had a heart condition which meant that the family had to be within reach of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Studying a French degree in Liverpool, Ed spent a placement year in France, well not quite a year; he got bored and ended up travelling to places as far flung as Peru and Nepal. Io, also one of 5 children, studied education and performance at Aberystwyth. She too took off on her travels, teaching children with special needs in Malaysia for over a year. Following Ed’s degree he found himself drawn to the medical profession (perhaps due in no small part to his childhood experiences with his brother) and before too long was studying to be a nurse. Working on the oncology wards in Liverpool, Bristol and later in Bath RUH, he describes his vocational career as both intense and rewarding.
Both Ed and Io have continued to challenge themselves with further education along the road, Ed, took his nursing practitioners’ exams (amongst other courses) and Io, worked as a home carer while her son was young, and went on to complete her PGCE as a single parent. Even as we talk, Ed discusses the prospect of taking his interest in the Bowen Technique further and how he’s always been interested in offering alternative therapies to patients. It seems nothing holds this couple back – even being the new owners of such a huge building in the centre of Frome.
When I ask them what their plans are for the future of The HUBnub Centre they smile and say that they will continue as they are, adding more and more community-based activities to the timetable. Io happily informs me that there will be an after-school club running from September onwards. They still can’t quite believe that they own this incredible place, and Ed tells me that he is often mistaken for the caretaker as he restocks the bathrooms every day and walks about with a giant bunch of keys.
There are no airs and graces about these two, no air of entitlement as they wander about the space, just two very down-to-earth individuals who know how to dream big, coupled with the guts and know-how to make it happen.
Wishing Ed and Io all the luck in the world with the HUBnub Centre, we’re very lucky that they have injected so much of their community mindedness and heart into this wonderful old building.
For more information about HUBnub and its programme of events please visit https://www.hubnub centre.com/
