Many students find love during their time at Birmingham. We bring you stories of University relationships that have stood the test of time.
Listen to Janine and Chris Turner share the story of how they met and memories of their time on campus with some special footage from the 1970's.
Jane Faux (BSc Physics, 2000) and George Faux (LLB Law, 2000)
Jane says ‘We met during our first year at university and as we were heavily involved in the chaplaincy we were keen to get married there following our engagement in November 1998. At the time, none of the chaplaincy staff could remember a wedding taking place there. We got married on 19 June 1999, the first day of the summer holidays. The then Anglican chaplain, Reverand Andrew Gorham, conducted the service and fellow students provided the music. Following the ceremony we had photos taken around Chancellors Court and a reception at the Catholic chaplaincy, Newman House. 26 years on, we still live in Birmingham and are still good friends with many of the students who attended our wedding.’
Alison Seymour Mead (née Philp) (MBcHB, 1972) and Richard Seymour Mead (MBcHB, 1972)
Richard says: ‘Alison and I met collecting our white coats on the first day of term at the Medical School in 1967. We were friends throughout the course. We qualified in 1972 and moved to Australia. We worked in Brisbane and became engaged, returning to marry in Scotland in 1975. I was a GP in Henley in Arden from 1976- 2009 and Alison was in anaesthetics in Warwickshire and the Blood Transfusion Service. We celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary this year.’
Ayshea Sara Baker (BA English Literature and French, 2018) and Samuel James Pollard (BSc Economics, 2017)
Ayshea says ‘From Freshers at University to saying ‘oui’ before our friends and family, our love story began in 2014, during our first year when we met at Fab’n’Fresh. A few years later, we navigated a long-distance relationship while I spent my third year abroad in the South of France – a place that has remained close to our hearts ever since. On 28 June 2025, we were legally married at the iconic Chelsea Old Town Hall, and soon after, we celebrated our wedding with family and friends at Le Mas de la Rose in Provence, France. We now call London home. I work as a Corporate Lawyer, and Sam is in Private Equity.’
Sarah Richardson (BA English, 2018; MA Creative Writing, 2019) and Edwin Simpson (BA English with Creative Writing, 2018; MSc Computer Science, 2019)
Sarah says: ‘I met my husband Edwin in the second week of our first undergrad year in a shared seminar. He took me ice skating on our first date, and I ended up in A&E with a concussion when my attempt at a pirouette went awry! We decided to have our second date at a much safer venue (Turtle Bay) and the rest is history!’
Steve Cort (BEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering, 1992) and Revd. Rolene Cort (BA English Literature and Linguistics, 1993)
Steve says ‘We met in University House (when it was halls of residence) at the end of Freshers week in 1990. We got engaged at the top of Old Joe in 1993 and have since been happily married for 31 years!’
Michael Pope (BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 2006) and Amy Pope (née Cosgriff) (BA Classics and Archaeology, 2006)
Amy says ‘Mickey was the first person I met at university, as I arrived in halls, I still tease him about not offering to help me with my bags! We got together in first year and have since travelled the world! We moved around the UK and married in 2012 with Guild Musical Theatre Group alumni singing at our wedding. We now live in Bristol with our three children and still count our fellow alumni among our closest friends. We visited campus for the 125 celebrations and were reminded how lucky we were to have studied at Birmingham.’
Mickey says 'I remember Amy thinking I was Australian when she first met me because I had a strong ‘estuary’ accent having grown up just outside of London. The day we began dating, Amy and I walked to the Guild to check GMTG’s notice board to see if I had been successful in my audition for West Side Story (I had) before we went on one of our many trips to the cinema at Five Ways and saw Tim Burton’s Big Fish. We then spent the rest of our time at Birmingham together enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of Selly Oak and making what have proved to be lifelong friendships. It was wonderful to return for the 125th Anniversary celebrations and wandering around campus brought back many happy memories.'
Hannah Baldwick (BSc Environmental Management, 2012) and Josh Baldwick (BSc Geography, 2012)
Hannah says ‘We met on our very first day in Welcome Week as we were allocated the same block of flats in Tennis Courts. We quickly realised that we had been to school in neighbouring towns and had mutual connections back home. Our paths were firmly intertwined at university with a large group of mutual friends from halls, lectures and our involvement in Kinvig (the Geography Society). We both have such happy memories of the University, including graduating together in 2012 and even getting engaged on campus in 2015. Josh works for Severn Trent and I’ve recently come full circle back to campus as a member of staff, working in Digital Communications in our alumni team. We have enjoyed bringing our two young daughters back to see the University, especially coming to the Community Festival and recreating our graduation photo with our girls now in the picture.’
Janine Turner (BA Languages, 1979) and Chris Turner (BSc Civil Engineering, 1978)
Janine says ‘Chris and I met at the Vale in 1975. I lived in Ridge Hall and Chris was in High Hall. We met at a drunken party and the rest is history! Our first summer in 1976 was a very hot summer and we enjoyed playing games on the lawn outside our halls of residence. Chris still reckons there was more playtime for arts students than engineering students. We are still in touch with quite a few of our friends from University and enjoyed meeting up at the Community Festival on campus recently.’