Deacon Myrtle Poxon is to be the next Vice President of the Methodist Conference, at the same time as the Rev Will Morrey becomes President. The pair have known each other since their studies coincided at Queen's College, Birmingham.

Mrs Poxon now forms a formidable partnership for the Methodist Church in Lancashire. She is married to the Chair of the North Lancashire Methodist District, the Rev Stephen Poxon. The couple have worked in the same places throughout their ministries.

Born in Durham 49 years ago, Myrtle Poxon went to theological college aged 20 before being ordained as a deacon. She spent seven years working as a Methodist Mission Partner in Jamaica (1979-85), before serving at churches in Cardiff (1985-96) and Preston (1996-present).

She says that she hope to bring to the Church "a commitment to world church and global issues. These are concerns that came alive for me during my time working in the Caribbean".

Mrs Poxon was President of the Methodist Women's Network in 1991-2. She is a member of the Methodist Council and the Council's Strategy and Resources Committee. She is also part of the Methodism's Connexional Candidates Committee.

She and Stephen live in Preston and they have four children - Matthew (21), Tamara (19), Daniel (16) and Joseph (8).