COUNCILLOR PENNY RIVERS
Penny was born in Jamaica and came to Godalming in 1974. She is married to Paul and they are due to celebrate their Ruby wedding anniversary this year in September. Penny is the proud mother of George, Robert, Edith and Edward, who all attended local schools and are now living and working in London and Osaka. Family is very important to Penny and since the death of her father in 2011, she has been a carer for her mother, Pamela.
Penny traces her interest in politics to her roots in Jamaica, where, when she was 11, she met Sir Alexander Bustamante who was the first Prime Minister of independent Jamaica and Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party. She remembers sitting beside him and listening to him for what seemed to her like hours. She had the great privilege to be a guest at his state funeral in Westminster Abbey in 1977 accompanying the then Minister for Tourism, Dr H. A. A. (Marco) Brown.
Penny is a Liberal Democrat and was first elected to Godalming Town Council in 1995, serving for the next 16 years during which time she was elected Mayor twice. She is currently serving on Surrey County Council for Godalming North and Waverley Borough Council for Farncombe & Catteshall Ward.