![\"image005-1](\"http:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/files\/2015\/03\/image005-1-ceidiog.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHotly-tipped Welsh songstress Kizzy Crawford, a BBC Horizons performer who\u2019s played at Glastonbury,\u00a0was on hand to sing Happy Birthday to founders Barrie and Joan Grayson and their son Ken. He is now chief executive of the company, which first began trading 30 years ago in Pwllheli as a spin-off from a boat-building yard.<\/p>\n
The event was also organised to celebrate Peninsula’s partnership with Solarlux, the top German manufacturer of glass houses, sliding folding doors and high spec \u2018Wintergarden\u2019 conservatories who helped transform the famous Yankee Stadium in New York.<\/p>\n The\u00a0bespoke light installation by Hannah Wardle was commissioned by Peninsula and supported by A&B Cymru\u2019s CultureStep programme. It explores sustainable light, using material inspired by Anglesey\u2019s Neolithic site Barclodiad y Gawres -Welsh for apronful of the giantess – on a headland at Cable Bay, Llanfaelog.<\/p>\n Hannah said: \u201cThere, a complex pattern of spirals, zig-zags, lozenges and chevrons were chipped by Neolithic artists into a stone carefully placed in the site. These patterns are similar to those found at Newgrange in Ireland where on the winter solstice, December 21 – the shortest day of the year – the low winter sun illuminates the passage and various\u00a0markings positioned in it.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough this light catching phenomena doesn’t occur at Barclodiad y Gawres, it did inspire me to think\u00a0about light catching materials. The\u00a0patterns occur at a number of linked sites – proving that people were moving about the seas, spreading these ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n Hannah used this as inspiration to make her Lightcatcher artwork from laser-cut pieces of plywood solid hammered brass and lighting points, which hang in the Solarlux glass display units.<\/p>\n Originally from near St Asaph, Hannah, 36, now lives in Bethesda and has her studio in Treborth, Bangor. She trained at Goldsmiths College in London and worked in London before moving back to North Wales.<\/p>\n She was delighted to have the opportunity to work with Peninsula which installs eco-friendly office pods, conservatories and glass balustrades, and carries out range of other home improvements as well as building extensions.<\/p>\n The company has a turnover of \u00a31.7m and employs 25 staff – some of whom have been with Peninsula since the early days.<\/p>\n More jobs are also on the cards at Peninsula thanks to a strong order book and increasing interest in eco-buildings, said Lorraine Grayson, co-director of the Anglesey-based company.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to combine our birthday celebrations with our support for Arts and Business Cymru, which is why we invited Kizzy to perform, and commissioned Hannah\u2019s artwork,\u201d explained Lorraine.<\/p>\n \u201cWe share the same core values, of nurturing community, creativity, talent and craftsmanship – we support the community in which we operate because that\u2019s our pool of future talent. At Peninsula we take our social responsibility very seriously, and seek to put something back.<\/p>\n \u201cThe birthday event was a night to look back and mark the past three decades of achievements. Most recently these include the new factory and showroom at Gaerwen, which opened in 1997, plus our decision to expand and diversify, which led to the founding of our sister company Heritage Hardwood and a partnership with Solarlux last year. They are very much the BMW of the glass-house world.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are also proud that several of our staff are still with us, all these years on – it is like a large family.<\/p>\n \u201cWe now aim to grow the company for the future, as interest grows in eco-buildings as a home office, music or art studio, gym or garden room thanks to the Grand Designs generation,\u201d added Lorraine, mum to Sonny, eight, and three-year-old Taleisin.<\/p>\n Among the guests at the event was Anglesey AM Rhun ap Iorwerth who congratulated the company on its 30th anniversary, and collaborating with Arts & Business Cymru.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cPeninsula Home Improvements is a well-known successful local business, which continues to go from strength to strength, now branching into the eco-buildings market and hoping to take on more staff as a result.<\/p>\n \u201cI enjoyed listening to the young singing talent Kizzy Crawford and seeing Hannah Wardle\u2019s light installations, as part of the celebrations to mark Peninsula\u2019s close links and support for Arts & Business in their local community.<\/p>\n \u201cMany congratulations to the team on reaching this milestone, and best wishes for the next 30 years!\u201d<\/p>\n Sian Tomos of the Arts Council for Wales praised Peninsula Home Improvements for its support of\u00a0Welsh culture.<\/p>\n She said: “Ken and\u00a0Lorraine\u00a0and the rest of the team at Peninsula Home Improvements are to be congratulated for their continuing \u00a0support of arts and music in North Wales. It\u2019s important that creativity and talent are nurtured – these are a key part of our Welsh heritage. Businesses can play an important role in sustaining and enhancing our culture for future generations, whilst at the same time reaping tangible benefits of their own.<\/p>\n \u201cArt can easily be\u00a0incorporated into everyday business life to everyone\u2019s benefit – as Hannah Wardle\u2019s specially-commissioned Lightcatcher artwork at Peninsula\u2019s showroom demonstrates.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Arts Council of Wales and BBC Cymru Wales\u2019 Horizons programme, of which Kizzy Crawford is part, is a partnership that gives young and emerging artists new platforms on which to perform to a variety of audiences. The link with business at an event like this is tremendous. We hope other businesses will be inspired by Peninsula\u2019s success.\u201d<\/p>\n Also at the event was one of the firm\u2019s first customers, former Manchester City and Sheffield United player Bill Russell and his wife Cathy, a charity worker, from Dyserth.<\/p>\n Music for the evening was provided by 18-year-old singer-songwriter Kizzy Crawford, who won the Brwydr Y Bandiau at the 2013 National Eisteddfod. Her soul-jazz work, which previously featured in the Six Nations TV campaign, will form the backdrop for the 2015 Visit Wales adverts.<\/p>\n One of the BBC Wales Horizons artist of the year, Kizzy has performed at BBC events and radio sessions including a live session at BBC Maida Vale.\u00a0Following a tour of Canada, she played a showcase at the House of Commons, Westminster alongside Cerys Matthews. She has also performed with Super Furry Animal\u2019s Gruff Rhys and recorded with Amy Wadge – co-writer with chart-topper Ed Sheeran.<\/p>\n More details about Peninsula at <\/b>www.peninsulawindows.co.uk<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n