Meet the new chair of Moretonville Junior FC…Claire Seymour

Moretonville Junior FC has a new chair – Claire Seymour – who has taken over from our previous chairman, Michael Turner.

Claire was voted into the role at the club’s EGM on Sunday, September 18 at the club.

Here, in a Q&A with the club website, Claire gives some background about herself, her vision for the club and what everyone connected with Moretonville can do to help.

How long have you been involved in Moretonville Junior FC?

My family and I moved to Buckingham from Birmingham in December 2016. Both my sons joined the club in January 2017. My first activity was the “recycled hot drink cups” project kindly sponsored by Close UK and still on sale for only £5. All profits go to MJFC. I ran the merchandise and equipment role to June 2020 and became Treasurer in July 2020 and a Trustee in July 2021.

What’s your day job?

I am the Finance & Operations Manager at the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club, an international members club which preserves the heritage of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars. I am also an active member of Buckingham & Stove Running Club so I spend a lot of time thinking about the unique nature of membership clubs.

What were your first impressions of Moretonville when you got involved with the club?

Very impressive, we had nothing like this in Birmingham. We were surprised that such a small town could accommodate such impressive facilities and so many junior teams.

What is it that impresses you the most about Moretonville?

That junior football happens so effortlessly and seamlessly. In the background is a team of very dedicated and committed volunteers who work extremely hard to make junior football happen.

What is your vision for the future of the club?

Create a culture of “us”, that we all belong to a club that we can be very proud of and that all of us can make a positive contribution however small. I think that COVID has hit grassroots football hard, I would like to see us return to an environment where more of us know one another and want to help and support one another.

If there’s one thing you would change about Moretonville, what would it be?

The name! I am very proud of our long club history and I am grateful for the vision that our founders had. I would love to see us incorporate Buckingham into our name or our logo so that people can better connect us to our geographical location and see us the premier team in the area.

What is that makes Moretonville so special?

We are a welcoming club that aspires to encourage all players and volunteers to be the best that they can. We are growing the girls’ game and we have launched an adult “Football Mums” team for the first time this season. All of this is achieved by a very dedicated team of unsung heroes who give so much time and energy to our sport. I am very grateful to them all for their commitment and dedication. We are the team behind the teams.

How can people help the club continue to grow and be successful

My mantra is that “You get back what you give”. Every time I serve a cup of tea in the tuck shop and I connect with a fellow parent or player I am rewarded by the fact that this work enables our children to play football. I encourage everyone to do their duty and to help. I promise it will make you feel better about yourself. It’s good fun and a great way to de-stress too!