Isabelle in Lambeth is 41-50 and is Wheelchair Cyclist.
Originally from France, Isabelle moved to London in 1984 for a brief spell. She was drawn back for good though after finding Londoners to be some of the most friendly and open people that she had ever met.
Having been disabled since she was 10 months old, Isabelle was never able to walk far or run great distances making movement around a city an incredibly difficult task. That was however until she started to use a wheelchair and found that her life changed forever.
Things changed even more drastically when she discovered that she was able to transform her wheelchair into a bike! Now an avid cyclist Isabelle takes us on a unique journey of movement through the city and describes how she feels all the different wheels in her life have enabled her to power her life forward.
Film Maker: Reece Lipman
Questions & Answers
- What's your first memory of London? When I came to London at the age of 19, just arriving in Paddington Station in 1984.
- What do you miss when you're away from London? Everything! The friendliness and openness of the people mostly.
- What's your favourite neighbourhood? The Southbank
- What's your favourite building? Royal Festival Hall
- What's your ideal day out in London? A gentle bike ride through central London, along the Thames by the Southbank
- What's your ideal night out in London? I'm very boring! Probably a trip down the to the Southbank either to a concert or just for a general wander.
- What's the best view in London? The back of the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill. When you drive around the back, around the local streets, there is suddenly a plunging view. It's a real surprise as it's not residential.
- What's your favourite open space? Brockwell Park
- What's the most interesting shop? Not a shop but the whole of Brixton Market.
- What's your favourite place to hang out? The Southbank. It's fully accessible for me and I enjoying riding around.
- What's been your most memorable night out in London? I was part of the Singing River at the reopening of the Royal Festival Hall in 2007. I was part of the choir going down the river on a barge with 100 singers!
- How would you like to spend your ideal day off in London? A cycle ride around some open spaces. Going along the Thames, meeting with friends, listening to some world music and topping it off with some food.
- Where would you take someone visiting from out of town? The Southbank and Thames path walk. perhaps to a museum like the Tate Modern/Britain. Oh and too some of London's open spaces.
- What's the worst journey you've had to make in London? Getting stuck in nightmarish traffic from Kennington to Waterloo. It took 2 hours!!
- What's your personal London landmark? Royal Festival Hall
- What's your favourite London film, book or documentary? Stoneheart which is based upon the statues around London
- If you could travel to any time period in London, past or future, where would you go? I love it now!