I went to the Festival of Britain in the summer of 1951, when I was 12 years old with my best friend and both our mothers. We travelled down from Birmingham by coach to spend two memorable days walking round the exhibition and Royal Festival Hall, and visiting the Battersea Park funfair by river bus. After the austerity of growing up through the war years, the festival was a beacon of hope for the future. Since moving to London in the 1960s, my wife and I have enjoyed many performances at the 3 venues, including taking our young children to the Sunday kids concerts. Now, our adult son Ben works at the South Bank Centre as a music co-ordinator. Full circle for our family.