February 3, 2024

ICS–UK Executive Director Retires

Longtime Executive Director of the United Kingdom branch of the International Churchill Society (ICS–UK) Andy Smith has announced his retirement from the position after organizing the successful 2023 International Churchill Conference. “After working for ICS for two decades, including more than eight as Executive Director of ICS–UK,” Smith said, “I have decided it is now time to concentrate on other projects that are important to me.”

In addition to last year’s ICS conference in Edinburgh, Smith also helped to organize the first online conference put on by ICS in 2020, when Covid forced cancellation for plans to meet in person. He then organized the 2021 conference in London, which took place in person after restrictions were lifted.

“I have been fortunate to work with some truly inspirational leaders, trustees, and wonderful teams on three continents that make ICS the force that it is,” Smith said. “We faced and overcame huge challenges in recent years.” Smith will remain as a consultant to ICS while spending more time with his family at their house in the Loire Valley of France. “Like Churchill, I definitely intend to Keep Buggering On [KBO],” he reports.

Smith has also been the longtime ICS liaison with Chartwell, Churchill’s home in Kent. In 2023, Smith launched “Chartwell Chats”, an exciting series of interviews hosted by Chartwell Curator Katherine Carter in partnership with Chartwell.