The vandalised tree was planted in 1951 to celebrate the Festival of Britain and has since been replaced.

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As Europe and the empire continued to rebuild after the World War II the royal party arrived for the Festival of Britain exhibition at Castlereagh.

BBC: Her Majesty is pictured with Prince Charles

He was a hammer of the left, a spin doctor before his time and the successful impresario of the Festival of Britain, the 1950s' equivalent of the Dome.

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And, at least since the 1951 Festival of Britain, neither have there been sufficient funds to encourage and enable many of the ambitious new buildings, public facilities and minority sports that are now receiving support.

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And there was the continuation of a great tradition of graphics, seen to a small extent in the Olympics posters and those for the 1951 Festival of Britain, but even more so in the signage for Britain's transport systems.

WSJ: Design Innovation in Britain | 'British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age' at the V&A

Two major events in the 1950s typified this give and take between past and present: the staunchly forward-looking Festival of Britain in 1951, a nationwide celebration of new art, architecture and design, and Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, to which millions of Britons tuned in.

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Their number includes four previous recipients of the festival's highest honour - Jane Campion, Britain's Ken Loach, Quentin Tarantino and Lars von Trier.

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After appearances in France, Italy and Britain (where it was performed at the Barbican as part of the London 2012 Festival), its next stop is Toronto's Sony Centre from June 8th to 10th.

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Mr Woolf is also a founder member of Festival Medical Services, whose volunteers supply medical support for Glastonbury Festival and raise money for medical causes in Britain and around the world.

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