Who is really in charge of Deptford’s future? For over twenty years, Malcolm Cadman has been a constant presence on the Pepys Estate - standing between global developers and the community he calls home.

In this episode, he sits down with Deptford local Alice Devine, to talk about his life experiences and why he is standing for council in the local elections as an Independent candidate.

We go beyond the campaign leaflets to uncover the story of the man running to be an Independent councillor in the ward of Evelyn. From his father’s experience in the General Strike at age 14 to the decade-long fight over the future of Convoys Wharf, Malcolm shares why he believes a truly independent voice is the only way to stop Deptford from being left behind.

Please tune in and consider giving one of your three votes to Malcolm on election day: 7th May 2026!

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00:00 – Welcome to Deptford: Setting the scene in the basement of the Pepys Community Hub.

12:13 – Teaching in Greenwich: Malcolm shares brilliant stories from his time as a local Design and Technology teacher (and his legendary "open-door policy" for students!).

15:24 – Securing Millions for Deptford: How Malcolm helped manage a massive government grant in the late 90s to fund local childcare, youth work, and launch the Splash sailing club.

19:42 – The Convoys Wharf Fight: The inside story of Voice for Deptford. Hear how Malcolm spent 20 years taking on developers to fight against 3,500 luxury high-rises and protect the area's maritime heritage.

36:32 – Refurbish, Not Demolish: The time Lewisham Council tried to halt the Pepys Estate refurbishment and demolish local homes—and how Malcolm took them to court and won.

42:50 – Stepping Up: From the John Evelyn community garden to the ballot box. Why Malcolm finally decided to run as an Independent candidate.

44:43 – The Local Landscape & Your 3 Votes: A look at Evelyn ward's single-party history, the recent Green defections, and why using just one of your three votes for an Independent could change the council dynamic.

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For more info on the things discussed:

Read Alice's article for Salamander News about Convoys Wharf here.

Find out more about Voice4Deptford on their site here.

Find out more about Pepys Community Forum and the John Evelyn Community Garden here.

Find out more about the book Neoliberalism and Urban Regeneration - London's Communities Finding a Voice and Fighting Back by Roger Green and Keith Popple here.