Meadowhall is marking Valentine’s Day by putting heart health front and centre, with a 24-hour CPR-a-thon designed to raise awareness of life-saving CPR skills and fund vital work by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) Charity.
The event begins at 3pm on Friday 13th February and will run continuously for 24 hours. Throughout the challenge, YAS volunteers will perform CPR on training manikins, aiming to complete as many compressions as possible while building public confidence in hands-only CPR and the importance of acting fast during a cardiac arrest.
The CPR-a-thon has a fundraising target of £5,000, with the money raised going towards free community CPR training, the installation of public-access defibrillators across Yorkshire, and wellbeing support for YAS staff and volunteers.
Shoppers are encouraged to visit the YAS Charity stand on the lower level of The Gallery, outside Primark and Next, where volunteers will offer advice, information, and giveaways, and demonstrate how simple hands-only CPR can be.
The event is supported by Sheffield business owner Bob Reville, whose life was saved at Meadowhall in 2013 after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the Oasis Dining Quarter. Bob received immediate CPR from Meadowhall security team member Steve Clark and colleagues, who also used a defibrillator to deliver a crucial shock. Ahead of the CPR-a-thon, Bob and Steve were reunited at the centre, twelve years on.
Centre Director Darren Pearce said the event was a fitting way to mark Valentine’s Day: “The CPR-a-thon is about putting our hearts first. We want to highlight how vital early CPR intervention can be and give visitors the chance to support a cause that genuinely saves lives.”
YAS Charity Officer Sarah Aston added: “Around 80% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in the home. Learning CPR could mean saving the life of someone you love. By supporting this event, people are helping us deliver training and place defibrillators in communities across Yorkshire.”
Donations can be made on the day at Meadowhall or via JustGiving. Meadowhall is also equipped with two public access defibrillators, located on the Lower High Street and in the Customer Hub.
For more information, visit meadowhall.co.uk.
