Gloucestershire County Cricket Club have appointed Marie Journeaux as club president from 2017 to 2019

At this year’s annual general meeting, Mrs Journeaux was elected as the club’s next president – the first woman to hold this post in the club’s 147-year history. She succeeds Rex Body.

During her early working life she followed a career in sales and public relations and has been associated with the county club since 1977.

During that time she has been involved in many aspects of the business including membership, corporate hospitality, PR, sales and marketing.

After forming her own corporate hospitality company, she continued her association with the club through sales and administration of the corporate marquees, principally at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.

She has been a member and the secretary of the Cheltenham and North Cotswolds regional committee since the mid-1990s and continues in this voluntary capacity to this day.

From May 2002 to May 2003 Mrs Journeaux held the post of Sheriff’s Lady to the City of Gloucester, serving alongside Councillor Paul James who held the office of City Sheriff during that year.

She has also held a number of voluntary posts for a variety of organisations.

On becoming president, Mrs Journeaux said: “I am delighted to have been asked to serve as the club’s president and I thank the executive board most sincerely for bestowing this honour upon me.

“I also feel most humbled when I think of the illustrious people I follow and my every endeavour will be to serve equally as diligently and with the greatest of pride in our historic and truly great county cricket club.

“In particular I should like to thank my immediate predecessor Rex Body for his very special term of office, combining his duties as president with the task of setting up and bringing the club’s museum and learning centre to fruition.

“We are much indebted to Rex who, together with his wife Wendy, has worked tirelessly to ensure we have a lasting tribute to the history of the club. The centre – which was officially opened on Friday 21st April – will also engage and enlighten the present generation and act as a solid foundation for the future.”

Club chairman Roger Cooke added: “I am delighted that Marie has become the club's president. It is an honour which she richly deserves. I have no doubt she will be a great ambassador for the club.”