I feel very frustrated at some of the points raised by Lucy Jane about all of the terrible things that go on Blackbird Leys, Oxford (Oxford Mail, September 26).

Yes, true enough, we do possibly have more than a fair share of, in Ms Jane's words, criminals, people on state benefit, under watch, and people who may well be "addicted". My family and I are not addicted to anything.

We have the love of my school working wife, my 16-year-old son has just left school and found himself a full-time apprenticeship at a local garage, my 14-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter are in local full-time education, and I have run a business in Oxford city centre for 10 years.

We have lived and generally enjoyed life at Blackbird Leys and more recently Greater Leys for 16 years and continue to enjoy the estate to the full.

I suggest that Ms Jane gets more involved in the community and the events which are regularly held in and around the estate.

There are many good, honest, hard-working people like me and my family who, every day, go to work and school to give ourselves the opportunity to continue to grow and develop.

Remember - life is about what you put in, not just what you take out. If you really want to move away, there is nothing stopping you.

Raymond Lindsey, a Greater Leys resident (appreciatively)