A GALA evening celebrating outstanding business achievement in the region was held on Thursday night.

The North East Chamber of Commerce Annual Tyne and Northumberland Dinner attracted about 300 guests from across the regional business spectrum to acknowledge the excellent work of companies leading the North-East out of recession.

Newcastle Civic Centre played host to this year’s event, which included two inspirational speakers; three-time Paralympic gold medal winner Stephen Miller and former Observer editor in chief Will Hutton.

NECC President, John Mowbray, said: “It was fantastic to see so many regional champions of business at this year’s Tyne and Northumberland Dinner. In a year when we dipped back into recession, our region has continued to perform well in export markets and has seen a significant increase in employment levels. This is evidence that business is doing its bit to improve the UK’s economic fortunes.

“This event celebrates the achievements of regional companies and provides a demonstration of our unity as a regional business community. As champions of North East business, NECC is proud to be able to host this prestigious event and pay tribute to the pioneering work being carried out across the north of region.”

Mr Miller, from Cramlington, Northumberland, is one of his sport’s greatest ever club throwers and a former world record holder. He has competed at five Paralympics, claiming silver and bronze medals as well as his three golds.

Mr Hutton, one of the country’s leading economic commentators spoke about his role as one of five leading UK names leading a strategic, constructively critical review of the North East economy to provide a blueprint for economic growth up to 2030 for the North East LEP.

In his address he spoke about how much work still needed to be done to secure the UK’s economic growth, outlining how the emergence from recession did not signal the end of challenging economic conditions.

The evening was sponsored by Gateshead College and Newcastle International Airport.