When Jo Patrick stepped into the role of secretary at Stoke D'Abernon Cricket Club she knew little about cricket, or the hundreds of matters that would end up in her lap.

She was well known at the club, with her husband Andrew and son Will being members.

But never did she expect, after being asked to take minutes, what issues would come her way.

Nor did she ever think that in just 18 months her involvement would lead to receiving a Surrey award for outstanding services to cricket.

Jo stepped into the breach when the previous secretary quit suddenly.

Nobody really knew the role.

Yet within weeks of an initial trial period over the winter before the 2008 season, Jo managed a sensitive licence renewal with Elmbridge Borough Council.

Then she started running the clubhouse and bar and organised the end-of-season dinner at the Oval to celebrate promotion to the Surrey Championship.

That was just the tip of the iceberg. She has done so much since then that she is now the one everyone goes to when they need something done.

Establishing a link with a sports clothing supplier - through a contact at Ashtead Cricket Club - she organised branded club kit to replace the assortment of equipment the players had been using.

One issue sticks out. "The biggest achievement has been getting through the clubmark process," Jo said, praising the help she had from Surrey's Sharon Eyres. "It means we can get access to funding [such as via the Lottery] and we are a properly accredited club with a health and safety policy, a colts structure with registered and properly qualified coaches.

"It's fairly critical. They need all sorts of paperwork," she said, adding that the club "needs a new pavilion".

A personal assistant before she had a family - who attended a ceremony at the Oval where she picked up her award - she agrees the time spent volunteering for the club "will look good on my cv".

Chris Gudgeon was the chairman who asked her to take the role, via Jo's husband Andrew.

And it was her husband's citing that helped her win the award.

He wrote: "She has immersed herself in the club and has single-handedly taken the quality of our administration and social networking to a new level.

"She is the 'Go To' person when captains or committee members have a problem."

Jo attended the awards ceremony at the Pro 40 day/night game between Surrey and Warwickshire at the Oval on the September 16, accompanied by her husband and children Will, Alice and Katherine and club skipper Andy Page.

The awards were presented by Surrey's Stuart Meaker and Laurie Evans in front of 300 people, accompanied by the CEO of Surrey and various ECB dignitaries.

Jo is trying to pass on jobs as she believes the club needs more volunteers, but said - tongue in cheek - that "people turn the other way" when they see her coming.