And it really was a night for the stars, as Robin Gibb collected the lifetime achievement award on behalf of the Bee Gees before performing a rendition of Ellan Vannin backed by a choir of schoolchildren.

>> Click here to view photo slideshow
>> All pictures are available to view and buy at photostoday.co.uk

Speaking later in the evening he said: 'This is excellent because we were born here and we have always considered ourselves to be Manx. The Isle of Man features in our lyrics and we have recorded the national anthem.

'As a child I remember Snaefell Road, Spring Valley and Peel, and I now have a home in Peel so things have come full circle.

'It is where I spiritually feel I belong.'

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>> Glittering ceremony celebrates best of Manx life
Includes video: Watch the winners' reactions as Joanne Clague conducts interviews backstage at the Gaiety Theatre

>> Rousing rendition of Ellan Vannin by Robin Gibb
Includes video: Watch Robin Gibb speak to Joanne Clague and enjoy part of his performance on the Gaiety Theatre stage

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The ceremony, held before the Isle of Man's Chief Minister Tony Brown and luminaries from the worlds of business, finance and charity, gave the honour to Paula from a strong field which included finalists Nadene Crowther and Norman Rivers.

After the death of her 25-year-old son Craig from an undetected heart defect in 2005, Paula conquered her grief and depression to set up Craig's Heartstrong Foundation.

The charity has so far raised £200,000 for heart screening of young sports men and women.

Two sessions held in the Island have seen almost 1,000 people tested, revealing a number of previously unknown heart conditions.

'I'm overwhelmed, humbled but so honoured as well,' she said.

'I want to thank the Manx people for giving us their hard-earned money. I wish Craig was here now but at least we can help other people - I don't want any other mums to be in my position.'

Finalist Nadine Crowther, with her husband Dr Raymond Crowther, was one of the original founders of Hospice Care in the Island. Mrs Crowther is still a volunteer for hospice and an active supporter and fundraiser for the organisation.

The charity Friends of Chernobyl's Children Isle of Man owes a great deal of its success to the third finalist, Norman Rivers, who has piled work and energy into fundraising and publicity.

The charity brings under-privileged children from Belarus – contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion in 1986 – to the Isle of Man for holidays and medical treatment. The award was sponsored by Dickinson Cruickshank.

Paul McCann was chosen as the Sefton Group's Public Sector Person of the Year for his dedication as manager of the Noble's Hospital neo-natal unit whose special care baby unit team help parents cope with the trauma of a premature birth.

Described by colleagues as a 'modest and unassuming hands-on manager', Paul has been head of the unit for the past 10 years.

Finalists in the category were Dr Philip Christian and Sergeant Phil Drowley.

Dr Christian has been the Island's police surgeon since 1968 and still provides cover for crime and accident scenes on a 24-hour seven day a week rota.

Sergeant Drowley became the first Manxman to conquer Everest in May, an achievement made all the more fulfilling after he was forced by illness to abandon an earlier attempt in 2002.

The CMI Personality of the Year winner, 23-year-old Mark Cavendish has perhaps done more in the past 12 months than anyone to raise the profile of Manx cycling.

Despite failing to win a medal at the Bejing Olympics this year, Mark's outstanding performance in this year's Tour de France, where he won four stages, and the World Track Cycling Championships in Manchester marked him out as a global star.

Fellow finalist Caroline Etherington has been race secretary of the Manx Motorcycle Club for the past 20 years. Her wide-ranging duties include dealing with administration, sponsorship, prize presentations, rider liaison and supporters.

Manx Radio presenter Chris Williams was the third finalist. He came to the Island 12 years ago after visiting many times for the TT. He became the station's breakfast show presenter and is involved in many high-profile charity fundraising events.

The Nationwide International Business Person of the Year award went to Microgaming leader Roger Raatgever who has developed the organisation into one of the world's largest most innovative gaming software providers. Microgaming has donated more than £500,000 to local charities and hospital services.

Finalist Lawrence Keenan is head of a leading Manx law firm and a non-executive chairman of Barclays Private Clients International.

Sue Gee, the third finalist, has shown enthusiasm and drive to build up TLC Business Solutions, more than doubling its work force and catering for hundreds of clients.

The Microgaming award for Charity, Cultural and Community Involvement went to the Isle of Man Children's Centre and was collected by Rebecca McCauley. The centre is an independent charity celebrating its 140th anniversary this year.

Finalists' awards were collected on behalf of Craig's Heartstrong Foundation by Paula Lunt and by Margaret Simpson for Hospice Isle of Man, which supports 400 people a year.

The Abacus award for Small to Medium-sized Business of the Year went to TLC Business Solutions and was collected by its founder Sue Gee.

Dave Macdonald and Ian Cook collected finalists' awards on behalf of Home Strategic and BDO Greystone respectively.

Thomas Freund, on behalf of Swagelock, picked up the Anglo-Irish Bank award for Teamwork Across Departments and Organisations, just beating fellow finalists Margaret Simpson on behalf of Rebecca House and Stephen Harrison, representing Manx National Heritage.

Scooping the Barclay's Wealth Award for People Management, Training and Development was Royal Skandia Life Assurance, one of the Island's longest-established life assurance companies. The award was collected on their behalf by Mike Haywood.

Jonathan Hall on behalf of Friends Provident and Paul Kneen for Abacus collected the finalists' awards.

Britannia International award winner for Innovation and Independent Thinking went to CVI Optics Ltd, who manufacture high-energy laser optics. The award was collected by Dr Helmut Kessler. The company also won the Queen's Award for Enterprise this year.

Finalists in the category were Purpleaccounts.com and Manx Independent Carriers, who were represented respectively by David Parker and Michael Coleman.

Capital International Company of the Year was Microgaming which triumphed over fellow finalists Royal Skandia, represented by Mike Haywood and Abacus represented by Mike Hodgson. Roger Raatgever collected the award for Microgaming.

The Island's Aircraft Registry was the winner of the Collins Stewart Public Sector Achievement of the Year award which was collected by Brian Johnson.

Finalists' awards were collected by Stephen Harrison for Manx National Heritage and Irene Goodall for Ramsay Cottage Hospital.

The root of the Registry's success has been its work with private industry to promote its portfolio of high-quality international standard services, its customer service and its fast registration service.

The Conister Trust award for Corporate Social Responsibility went to Primary Healthcare Services, collected by Tony Jones.

Finalists' awards went to Britannia International, collected by Mark Beresford, and Connect2Charity, collected by David Talbot.

Online Regional Travel came up trumps with the HSBC Award for Effective Use of Information Technology after developing the world's first global flight booking engine for the mobile telephone. The company's Brian Kelly collected the award.

Finalists' awards were collected by Richard Oliphant for the Department of Tourism and Leisure's RaceMann Project and by Andy Williams of the Isle of Man Treasury Information Systems Division.

Chris Hall on behalf of Manx Telecom picked up the Isle of Man Bank award for Freedom to Flourish. The company has done much to raise the global profile of the Isle of Man.

Chris Gledhill collected a finalists' award for IT consultancy firm PDMS and Rebecca McCauley collected one for the Isle of Man Children's Centre.

Cream of the crop for the Isle of Man Post Office award for Marketing Effectiveness was the Isle of Man Creamery Ltd which has spent £250,000 raising its own profile and that of the Isle of Man. Managing Director Findlay Macleod collected the award.

Finalists' awards were collected by Brian Johnson for the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry and by Sue Gee for TLC Business Solutions.

Stephen Harrison on behalf of Manx National Heritage scooped the Lloyds TSB Corporate Banking award for Customer Service, with Geoff Gelling collecting a finalists' award for Isle of Man Bank and, again, Brian Johnson a finalists' award for the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry.

Manx National Heritage has distinguished itself with its innovative retelling of 10,000 years of Manx history in a series of dramatic audio-visual presentations as part of its Story of Mann attraction located around the Island.

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A comprehensive report will feature in Tuesday's Isle of Man Examiner -
but many readers took the opportunity to watch the ceremony from the comfort of their own homes by logging on to iomtoday.co.im and taking advantage of a live feed direct from the Gaiety Theatre.

Further reports from the event will appear on iomtoday on Friday morning including video interviews with the winners and and photo slideshows.

>> Visit the Awards for Excellence website

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Send all feedback to newsviews@newsiom.co.im

YOUR COMMENTS

Thank you to all at the Isle of Man Newspapers and all the sponsors for such a fantastic night. I know that the award won by Paula Lunt was so appreciated and she was truly honored. This award is a massive thank you to the Manx public for all their support over the last three years. Cheers
PAUL HEALEY, Chairman – Craig's Heartstrong Foundation

Excellent coverage although viewing window a little small on my PC. Some audio echo at several points. Lovely to be able to see the event. Graham Davis was superb.
MALCOLM