UEA Alumni reunion: Celebrating 34 years of lifelong friendship
By: Alumni Team
In a heartwarming reunion, eight alumni from the University of East Anglia (UEA) gathered to celebrate decades of enduring friendship. All members of the group began their UEA journey in 1987 and graduated in 1990. Travelling from different corners of the globe, the group included Sultan from Oman, Mairo from Nigeria, Aris from Greece, Maro and Madeleine from Cyprus, Ricardo from Peru, Peter from Seychelles, and Robin from Bermuda.
The reunion commenced with a special dinner hosted by Aris and his wife in honour of Aris’s birthday. This memorable evening was followed the next day by a delightful lunch at Robin’s family home in Maidenhead, where the group shared laughter and reminisced about their cherished university days.
Stopping for lunch at the Student Union
The highlight of the reunion was a nostalgic trip to Norwich. The train ride from London to Norwich on a Sunday afternoon, evoked memories of their student years, when the same route had been a familiar part of their lives. Upon arriving in Norwich, the group checked into the historic Maids Head Hotel, which served as their home for the next two nights. Some took an evening stroll to explore the magnificent Norwich Cathedral and the city’s charming, cobbled streets, while the day concluded with an official reunion dinner. Set to the backdrop of 1980s and 1990s music, the dinner became even more memorable with a surprise screening of a video from 1989 and 1990. The footage vividly captured moments from their UEA days, including the excitement of completing their final exams and the lively celebrations that followed, culminating in their last gala dinner and dance at the then Nelson Hotel.
The next day, the group visited the UEA campus, where they were warmly welcomed by university officials and treated to an extensive tour. The tour highlighted the many transformations over the years, including the state-of-the-art sports complex and the remarkable increase in student numbers, now more than double what they had experienced in their time.
While the modern developments impressed them, it was the shared stories and laughter during a group dinner back at the hotel that truly rekindled the spirit of their university days. For some, the memories extended to late-night dances at the University’s iconic LCR, bringing back the youthful energy of their student years. 
Visiting Earlham Hall where many of the group studied
This reunion was a powerful testament to the enduring bonds formed at UEA — bonds built in classrooms, on the steps of the Square, and through countless shared experiences. 34 years later, the friendship among Sultan, Peter, Ricardo, Robin, Aris, Mairo, Maro, and Madeleine remains as vibrant as ever, serving as a living legacy of their time at the University of East Anglia.