to think just because you live on a council estate does not mean you are automatically a druggie

[adrenalinejunkie]

i have been reading a few posts here about cheryl cole and how she is lucky to have got where she is depite living on a council estate and how she did not fall into a life of crime and drugs , my dad came from a council estate and so does most of my family , i spent half my life living on one and know for a fact if i took drugs or resorted to crime my family would be horrified, i dont think im being unreasonable in saying that a lot of celebrities are actually cokeheads/druggies pay for prostitiues and drink drive and they live in mansions on gated estates .

I grew up on a rough, North London, council Estate back in the 80's, went to the local comp of approx 600 pupils. My parents worked hard, instilled manners and discipline into all 4 of their children and we have all done very well for oursleves, none of us are loaded (sadly!) but we are decent, hard working people (most of the time!). I'm happy with the life I lead and the roots I came from, as are the majority of the people I know from similar backgrounds. My ex on the other hand was born into a nice area and his parents are minted, he has never achieved anything for himself and is a prize twat!

TBH I think Ms Cole has somewhat exaggerated the awfulness of her childhood surroundings in interviews, etc.

I live up the road from said council estate (DD went to same school as her niece)and believe me, there are far worse places in the North East to grow up in!

Which estate is she from?

I am also from the N East. I think she had an absent Father though and money was tight....

crime and drugs cross every social boundary.

my ex p lives on 'the gritty heaton estate' which ime is totally fine. Yes there are some drug dealers there, but actually who hasn't got that? (and what about them there cannabis farms in all those gated comms)

and as far as byker goes - when I was heavily pregnant with dts, I happened to be caught short needing a wee while strolling through the Byker Wall (supposedly a notorious dodgy bit) and would have literally pissed my pants. I knocked on the first door I came to, and a lovely little couple in thre eighties happily opened their door and invited me to use their facility.....

Somehow I doubt that would happen in some of the more 'well to do areas'

I signed on in Byker for the first time. I never thought of it as particularly dangerous or unsavoury though it was a bit run down in places and times were quite tough - then as now! It tickled me a lot when Byker Grove started.

Byker Grove, Byker Grove, Biker Biker Biker Biker Grove.

i grew up on a council estate. i now live on in a council estate community. the worst in the town.

i am degree educated proffesional. I have never been a drug addict, never been arrested and don't feel the need to own a staffie.

Cheryl cole is up her own arse but then, she is only playing to the ignorant stereotypes the middle classes like to hear about

I live in a council estate and have brought up two children in a council estate who have both done very well and have responsible jobs. I recent the fact that people who live in private estates or big houses think we are all drug users or alcoholics.
I?ve worked all my life; my husband has )worked all his life and both my children have worked since leaving school.
Yes I probably could have bought a house in a private estate but why would I want to when I am perfectly happy where I am.
I?m sorry to inform anyone who thinks we are any different to other people in fancy houses? WERE NOT?
My council estate is not to far from a place that is known as the gold coast where MP?s, judges, lawyer?s, Barristers all live and I can assure you all there is an awful lot of their children using drugs and driving daddy?s car like maniac?s to go to school.

Oh and well done Cheryl Cole your a credit to us all from COUNCIL ESTATES

DrN, she lived in Heaton.

I find it quite offensive when people comments about those who live on council estates. I live on a council estate, and am neither a druggie or a criminal.

I loved Byker Grove, and often saw actors from it in the Metro Centre when I was loitering shopping as a teen.

My dh and his siblings were brought up on a council estate as his father was a fireman and had a tied house that was there.

They have all achieved in life with encouragement given from my pil and 2 out of the 3 of them went to Uni.

I live on a private estate where across the way from me is a £1200 pcm rental with druggies living in it.

Op: which posts about Cheryl Cole? Am interested to read them. Can you link the thread so we have a clearer picture of what you are referring to?

YANBU

Where you grow up and your affluence does not dictate the kind of person you are.

I once went to a house party when I was at a state run 6th form college. Most of the people there were from the best public schools London (if not the country) has to offer. The behaviour was disgusting. I'd never seen anything like it in all the years I'd been in state eduation. Drinking themselves into a stupor, having sex in bedrooms and bathrooms, taking drugs and collpasing, vomiting up curtains, etc. I would've expected a little more decorum given the "breeding" these youngsters allegedly had.

Again that is not to say that all privileged youngsters behave this way, of course all of them don't. But this is just one example to show you can't stereotype everyone.

don't feel the need to own a staffie

Not everyone who owns a Staffie lives on a council estate. That's a stereotype in itself. I've got two, had to fight to have them (rescue dogs) because my bf thought they were 'chav dogs'.

They are much prettier than Cheryl Cole, but where's their X Factor invite?

I live on a council estate and I dont, and never have, taken drugs. Nor has my Husband. Nor have most people I know. From the ones I know who do, it's the occasional spliff.

I did once know a former heroin addict, who came from a very nice bit of Solihull (she doesn't anymore. She's a primary school teacher now.)

The thing people miss about where I live is the houses are cheap and large. Several of the primary schools are outstanding. The nurseries, also several outstanding, are cheap, often subsidised and staffed by a much wider age range than any of the ones I looked at elsewhere. What's not to like?

The reason that council estates get bad reputations (normally from those who dont live there) is that like a lot of places drug taking/dealing goes on HOWEVER if you are from a well off family you dont tend to need to commit crime to feed a habit unlike if your from a cash poor area.

Another reason for demonising council estates is because drug taking/dealing tends to be very visible whilst it does tend to be more hidden in better off circles.

Lastly, when your life chances seem shit it is easier to get into the hard stuff, hard to finance the habit without resorting to crime, hard to get off the stuff.

I myself whilst limiting myself to weed these days have indulged in other stuff in the past but it wasnt bought on a street corner but delivered by a "business" man much like plenty of other city types.

'Lastly, when your life chances seem shit'

Not everyone on a council estate has shit life chances though...theres that stereotype again

If living on a council estate is so horrific why are there calls to kick all the plebs off them so those who 'deserve' to live in central London can move in?

Met my old friend today. We were dicussing the people we hung around with in the 80s. They were predominantly trustafarians. Very sadly many of them are now dead or in rehab.

They had the means to fund HUGE drug habits and money doesnt protect you from overdose and drug related complications.

Lastly, when your life chances seem shit'

Not everyone on a council estate has shit life chances though...theres that stereotype again.

How is that a sterotype ffs did any part of that post say that all council estate tenants have "shit life chances". The point I was making is that money hides things like drug taking and if you live on a council estate you are less likely to have a lot of money than someone from leafy Surrey.

Some really good points here. I've lived in squats, council estates, rural areas, 'posh' areas. If you want drugs you can find them.

On a friendlier note, nice to see some Newcastle references on a few threads recently.

Hi all!

^^

Hello tallwivglasses I'm from Newcastle too ! Namey I haven't a clue how to link , I think I got it from the Wagner/cheryl thread there is another one too recently in aibu sorry I can't be of more help , really glad to see people know where I'm coming from it was really starting to do my nut in , I originally come from Kenton and most of my family do too I remember there being a very strong sense of community on our street and how most of the street packed the church out when my dg died I will never forget their support .

some of my friends who take drugs are from very good wealthy familes, the poorer ones have seen what it can do and so avoided it