That Peckham Boy
Kenny Imafidon
For fans of Poverty Safari and Skint Estate, That Peckham Boy is a real-life manifesto calling for positive change for those on the fringes of society.
‘When you’re writing the story of your life, make sure you’re holding the pen. In this life you can be whoever you want to be.’
Two days after his eighteenth birthday, Kenny Imafidon was charged with the murder of a seventeen-year-old boy in south-east London. The middle child of a single mother with ambitions for her children, Kenny grew up near an estate in Peckham where deprivation and hopelessness were rife, and gang culture flourished in his community.
Kenny faced a minimum of thirty years behind bars – longer than the life he had lived. When the case against Kenny collapsed, he quickly realised that his name was still inextricably linked with a horrific crime he hadn’t committed. He decided to rewrite his story.
It began with The Kenny Report, which he delivered to the House of Commons and which detailed the experiences of marginalised young people who drift into gangs, and has led to extensive work with charities, communities and policy-makers that is helping to change the narratives of other young people just like Kenny.
A candid and unfiltered take on some of the most challenging topics that define our times, That Peckham Boy is a personal manifesto exploring what it means to be young, Black and poor in the city. It is shaped by Kenny’s difficult childhood, his transformative time in prison, and the people and conversations that took him from being on trial for murder into the company of some of the most successful people in the world.
Media Reviews
‘Kenny’s story shows us that we all have the potential to achieve extraordinary things. What a hero.’ Bear Grylls
‘A clean-hearted guy, even through the BS’ – Giggs
‘A very real, honest and inspiring book that demonstrates an understanding of the real world while providing hope and inspiration for a better one. Kenny Imafidon’s real-life experiences and hardships growing up in the hood of south London are tragic but enlightening. In his inspiring new book, That Peckham Boy, Kenny openly and honesty shares the obstacles, disadvantages and devastating consequences that typically accompany those who grow up on the streets in poverty and need. From drug deals to racial targeting to being wrongly accused of murder, Kenny reveals the flaws and weaknesses of a broken system that we all pay into. But most importantly, he exemplifies how one person’s determination and resolve against all odds can triumph and succeed! A remarkable read!’ – Stephen M. R Covey, The New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust and Trust & Inspire
If you are compelled by a hero’s journey, then Kenny Imafidon is a hero for this generation. His story is an inspiration to anyone who dreams of making a better life for themselves and having a positive impact on those around them. – Simon Sinek, New York Times Bestselling author of Start with Why and The Infinite Game
‘Shows that sometimes the hardest choices lead to the biggest and brightest outcomes… Kenny’s story is now part of the solution that stops stereotypes limiting potential.’ – Tim Campbell MBE
Breathtaking – The Observer