Lampeter Students’ Union President marries soulmate after finding love on UWTSD Lampeter campus.
25.01.2022
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Lampeter Students’ Union President says he has married the love of his life after finding love at the University’s Lampeter Campus.
James Barrow, originally from Leicestershire first came to Lampeter as a student to study a BA in Religion, Theology and Philosophy. He had visited the campus on a student experience weekend, and said he instantly fell in love with the small town and its surrounding countryside.
His now wife, Sofie Keddie-Barrow, originally from Cambridgeshire decided to study a BA in Ancient History with Ancient Egyptian Culture after attending a welcome day on campus. She said the staff and students were so kind, and the campus was a relaxed environment for her to study.
Whilst studying at Lampeter, both James and Sofie instantly fell in love with the town and the campus. Sofie said: “All the staff try to support you by getting to know who you are. Because of this, I feel like I can relax more here and find who I am as a person.”
James said: “As the campus is relatively it means that it's tight-knit. And the fact it's tight knit means it's a close community where everyone knows everyone and helps everyone if they need it. It is a place where you can feel like you belong almost as soon as you arrive.”
James and Sofie met at a mutual friend’s birthday party. James remembers:
“We met in the bar and things moved forward from there. I ended up saving Sofie from a spillage with my suit sleeve and she saw me as charming from there.”
As their relationship developed, James and Sofie got engaged and decided to get married at the Falcondale hotel in Lampeter last November. James said: “We felt it best to be married where we actually fell in love. As much as I love my hometown in Leicestershire, it's just not where I fell for Sofie. It simply had to be Lampeter for me.”
Sofie added: “We wanted to get married in the town where we met and hoped to settle down. It feels like our home now, so it only made sense.”
When James was asked which one of them is the most romantic, he said: “A good relationship shouldn't be 50/50, it should be 60/40 with both people trying to be the 60. It's a philosophy we've done for years and as a result we're both as romantic as each other.”
Mr & Mrs Barrow now call Lampeter their home, and they are looking forward to celebrating their first St Dwynwen’s Day together as a married couple.
Further Information
Lowri Thomas, Principal Communications and PR Officer
07449 998476
