Winston Churchill erased from his own charity in unprecedented display of wokery
A CHARITY set up to honour Sir Winston Churchill sparked a “woke” storm by changing its name and erasing him from its website.
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust has rebranded itself the Churchill Fellowship and removed every picture of the heroic wartime Prime Minister.
Its volunteers accuse the trust of “re-writing history”.
One source said: “It beggars belief that the man who saved this nation in our darkest hour finds himself cancelled in this way.”
A 1,400-word tribute that talked about a “much loved leader” with “bulldog spirit” who had a love of brandy and cigars has also been axed.
A list of his achievements and full biography have also gone from the old site — when the charity was The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.
It had featured a picture of him posing in his office with his trademark cigar, while others showed him in Parliament.
Now his face is not seen once - yet there are numerous pictures of the chief executive Julia Weston and her board of trustees.
And a racism disclaimer is now repeated across various pages of the charity’s new website.
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The woke attack on Winnie triggered a backlash from critics, including the charity’s own volunteers.
One outraged source told The Sun: “He was voted, by the people, as the Greatest Briton in a BBC poll in 2002 but is now erased from his own charity by the woke brigade.
“You can’t imagine what he would have to say about it all but I’m sure he wouldn’t think it was Britain’s finest hour.
“It beggars belief that the man who saved this nation in our darkest hour finds himself cancelled in this way.”
Volunteers at the charity accuse the trust of “re-writing history” and pandering to “cancel culture”.
Churchill supporters claim the organisation axed most information about him online because of a “leftie woke” agenda headed by Ms Weston.
In an email three weeks ago, she announced the name change and new website, stating: “For some time we have known that our previous name was confusing as it did not reflect what we are about.”
The boss, who according to official documents is paid between £90,000 and £100,000 a year, has been at the charity since June 2008, her LinkedIn page states.
In an online blog “Racism is Unacceptable”’, the charity claims there is “controversy” about Sir Winston’s life — and that it disagrees with his racist views.
It goes on to praise his “zest for life” and details his love for painting and travelling —– and calls him a “leading social reformer”.
But the charity, whose patron is the Queen, simply says it was set up “by a nation grateful for his wartime leadership” and that he was a “hugely respected Prime Minister”.
It then repeats the racism warning, saying of Sir Winston: “Many of his views on race are widely seen as unacceptable today, a view that we share.”
There is no mention at all of him leader on the charity’s “about us”’ or “our approach” pages.
One volunteer told The Sun: “He was a man of his time, we admit. But to use the kudos and funding to make a new organisation is dishonest.”
Another said the new-look charity was “bandwagon-jumping” by condemning Churchill as racist
They added: "This new agenda is being spearheaded by the chief executive who is now focused on shaming Sir Winston in a woke attack instead of celebrating his life and achievements.”
The Churchill Fellowship’s board of trustees include Sir Winston’s grandson Sir Jeremy Soames.
Last year, the group notched up an income of £1.3million.
Sir Winston has been criticised for his comments and views from more than 80 years ago — including a belief that Britain should rule India. He later privately denounced his comments.
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust was set up in 1965. It was the brainchild of Prince Philip.
For decades, it sent British citizens abroad on travel scholarships known as Churchill Fellowships.
Last night, The Churchill Fellowship said the decision to change its name was made two years ago and that the “key element” — Churchill — was kept.
Bosses added that the Covid pandemic had prevented the charity sending Brits abroad as usual — and that funds had instead been directed to helping people affected by the disease.
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A spokesman said the foundation remains “proud of our connection to him and his contribution to saving the world from Nazism”.
But he added: “At the same time, some of his views on race are widely seen as unacceptable today.”
Woke war rages
SIR Winston Churchill’s incredible legacy has come under growing attack over recent years.
Black Lives Matters protesters daubed “racist” across his statue in Parliament Square in 2020.
Meanwhile, visitors to Chartwell — the leader’s former Kent home — are warned of its alleged ties to “colonialism and slavery” by the National Trust.
Churchill College, Cambridge, has also been put under pressure to change its name over “inclusivity”.
The BBC also admitted flaws in its impartiality over claims the 1943 Indian famine was linked to racism.