From Halloween to Harry Potter - themed parties are Julie Oliver’s speciality.  The mum-of-three is the queen of children’s fun days, and has been making dreams come true for the past nine years on the West End Vision committee.

Julie, 38, of St John’s Walk, Benwell, is famous for organising brilliant trips for families from around the West End of Newcastle. And she also raises money towards paying for them.

This summer she helped take more than 300 children to Thorpe Park in Lincolnshire for a week, and raised £9,000.

Past successes include holidays in Blackpool, Great Yarmouth, Primrose Valley in Filey, and Berwick. Fundraising events have ranged from pie and pea suppers to sports days.

“We do extra fundraising to make activity packs for the children for the journey,” said Julie, who lives with husband Eddie, 41, and is treasurer on the five-strong committee at West End Vision.

“I fill out a lot of funding forms and do all the social nights to raise extra money,” she said. “I just really enjoy it.

“I love the kids’ faces when we go on holiday. Some of them might not go on holiday otherwise.”

Julie also has her hands full with her own children Bryan, 15, Jack, eight, and Richard, 12, who suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

She has thrown herself into their school life, by getting involved with the Friends of St John’s Primary School and helping to organise theatre trips and camping expeditions.