{"id":12480,"date":"2024-02-14T08:35:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T08:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/?p=12480"},"modified":"2024-02-14T10:27:29","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T10:27:29","slug":"the-golden-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/2024\/02\/14\/the-golden-years\/","title":{"rendered":"The Golden Years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Martin and Verity Andrews’ lives have been intertwined with the University of Reading for the past 50 years. They met as teenagers, before both studying and working at the University. Now, they share their love story and their secret to a 50-year-marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MartinWhile their marriage and lives together are inextricably linked with studying and working at the University of Reading, Martin and Verity\u2019s journey together actually began before they had stepped foot onto Whiteknights Campus.<\/p>\n

Martin said: \u201cWe both grew up in Abingdon where there was a youth club called Abingdon Folk Club. My friend David, who lived in the same village as Verity, told me that he was bringing two girls from the village to the club that night. David\u2019s father used to pick me up and that night when he did, David\u2019s two friends were sat in the back.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis was in 1967 and I knew that was it, I knew straightaway when I saw Verity that she was the one for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Verity said: \u201cWe spent some time together that night at the youth club and began dating. Martin used to ride his bicycle a couple of miles to see me every Friday, and when we were a bit older we enjoyed going to the Oxford Playhouse together \u2013 we love the theatre.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAlthough we met very young, when I was 14 and Martin was 16, we just knew that we were going to spend our lives together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"MartinMartin and Verity got engaged and married during their time at the University. Verity said: \u201cWe both lived in Wantage Hall together during our time at Reading, where we enjoyed many a dance and social evening. We got married in 1973 and we\u2019ve been very happy ever since. We now have two grown-up children, Beth and Joe, and two teenage grandsons who live close by so we\u2019re very lucky that we get to see a lot of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MartinLast year, Martin and Verity celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. So, what is their secret to a long-lasting and happy marriage?<\/p>\n

Martin said: \u201cWe\u2019re good friends and we have no secrets from each other. In retrospect, I\u2019m so lucky that I met Verity when we were young and we have shared a wonderful life together so far. We\u2019ve been very stable for 50 years and will hopefully carry on for many more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Verity added: \u201cI found that having some alone time is key to a successful marriage. I love kayaking, and that is my activity which I do without Martin. I believe it\u2019s important to maintain some separate activities, as well as spending time together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hear Martin and Verity’s love story from the couple themselves:<\/p>\n