Champions! Here are the winners of this year's Sunderland Echo Portfolio Awards

Jubilant staff from Hays Travel celebrated as their firm became the Business of the Year at the Portfolio Awards.

Judges decided that, to win this year's title, the victor had to be a firm which was a standout candidate who was always shining bright.

A candidate that was really highlighting all that is excellent about Sunderland. And that candidate was Hays Travel.

It won both the Overall Business of the Year and the Large Business of the Year titles in a year when it worked round the clock to take on former Thomas Cook workers and then came the news it was taking on all of its shops as well.

But Hays is no overnight success.

This is the firm which has been growing for almost 40 years since the day it started out as one shop.

Hays were only one winner on a night when the best in a top-class field picked up honours at the Stadium of Light.

Judges hailed this year's Portfolio Awards as one of the best yet for the standard of submitted entries.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Trevor Hines, the managing director of Station Taxis and who has had a 48-year association with the firm.

The citation for him said: "Trevor was appointed a Director and later a Managing Director in 2008.

"It is a position he is still proud to hold in a Sunderland based company that can trace its roots back to 1901 and the days of the horse-drawn cabs."

The Special Recognition Award went to the Wonderful Wig Company which is a firm which is making a difference to so many people.

One judge said: "They are transforming people's lives." Another said: "They should be so very proud of what they do."

This is a company which is helping people with hair loss to feel uplifted.

The Medium Business of the Year was Hyperdrive Innovation which designs, develops and manufactures lithium ion battery systems. It also won the Best Use of Technology Award while Consult and Design was highly commended in that section.

Small Business of the Year was Maxim Brewery while the flourishing female-only gym Club Zest was highly commended.

Apprentice of the Year was Annabelle Lawson from Kitui with Amy Kelsey from Gentoo highly commended.

East Coast Fitness was the Health and Lifestyle Award winner while the Creative Industry Award went to New World Design.

Employer of the Year was Gentoo with Sunderland College highly commended in that category, and the Social Enterprise Award went to the Beacon of Light, with North Star Counselling highly commended.

Roar Motion was the City Centre Business of the Year with Designer Childrenswear highly commended (but it would go on to win the Exporter of the Year section).

Breakfree Counselling Services was the New Business of the Year.

And the Corporate Social Responsibility Award went to Emmersons Solicitors.

VBites was Best Green Business and Best Training Provider was Springboard.

Leisure Business of the Year was the Roker Hotel and Poetic License while the Special Community Award went to Veterans In Crisis Sunderland with Keep Active NE highly commended.

Our thanks go to all of our awards sponsors.

Sunderland City Council is again our headline sponsor, and will sponsor our overall Business of the Year Award, as well as a Lifetime Achievement award, which is in the sponsor’s gift.It is also backing the contribution social enterprises make to the city in the Social Enterprise Award.Other sponsors are Gentoo, BIC, Station Taxis, Northern, Stagecoach, The Bid, Station Taxis, SAFC, Wilf Husband, Utility Alliance, Northern, Bradley Hall, Sunderland College and the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.

Watch out for a supplement filled with interviews and photos with our winners - in the Sunderland Echo next week.

ROLL OF HONOUR.

Overall Business of the Year (sponsored by Sunderland City Council) - Hays Travel.

Large Business of the Year (sponsored by Sunderland College) - Hays Travel.

Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by Sunderland City Council) - Trevor Hines, Station Taxis.

Special Recognition Award (sponsored by Sunderland Echo) - Wonderful Wig Company.

Special Community Award (sponsored by Gentoo) - Winner: Veterans In Crisis Sunderland. Highly commended; Keep Active NE.

Leisure Business of the Year (sponsored by Station Taxis) - Roker Hotel and Poetic License.

Exporter of the Year (sponsored by the Sunderland Echo) - Designer Childrenswear.

Best Training Provider (sponsored by Northern) - Springboard.

Best Green Business (sponsored by Stagecoach in Sunderland) - VBites.

Corporate Social Responsibility (sponsored by Bradley Hall) - Emmersons Solicitors.

New Business of the Year (sponsored by Utility Alliance) - Breakfree Counselling Services.

City Centre Business of the Year (sponsored by Sunderland's Business Improvement District) - Winner - Roar Motion; Highly commended; Designer Childrenswear.

Social Enterprise Award (sponsored by Sunderland Business and Innovation Centre) - Winner - Beacon of Light; Highly commended - North Star Counselling.

Best Use of Technology (sponsored by the Sunderland Echo) - Winner - Hyperdrive Innovation; Highly commended - Consult & Design.

Medium Business of the Year (sponsored by Wilf Husband) - Hyperdrive Innovation.

Small Business of the Year (sponsored by Sunderland City Council) - Winner - Maxim Brewery; highly commended - Club Zest.

Employer of the Year (sponsored by the Sunderland Echo) - Winner – Gentoo; Highly commended – Sunderland College.

Creative Industry Award (sponsored by Sunderland AFC) - New World Design.

Health and Lifestyle Business of the Year (sponsored by the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust) - East Coast Fitness.

Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by the Sunderland Echo) - Winner - Annabelle Lawson (Kitui); Highly commended - Amy Kelsey (Gentoo).