Meadowhall to host lifesaving 'CPR-a-thon' this Valentine's Day

Meadowhall is putting heart health at the centre of Valentine’s Day as it prepares to host a 24-hour ‘CPR-a-thon’ to raise awareness of lifesaving CPR skills and raise funds for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) Charity.

Taking place from Friday 13^th February at 3pm, the continuous 24-hour event will see Yorkshire Ambulance Service volunteers performing CPR on training manikins to increase public confidence in hands-only CPR and the importance of early intervention in cardiac arrest.

The event will see volunteers aiming to complete as many CPR compressions as possible on training manikins, helping Meadowhall and the YAS Charity work towards a fundraising target of £5,000.

Funds raised will provide free basic lifesaving training, including CPR, in local communities and the installation of public access defibrillators across the region. It will also support the wellbeing of Yorkshire Ambulance Service colleagues and volunteers.

Visitors will be encouraged to stop by the YAS Charity stand, which will be based on the lower level of The Gallery, outside Primark and Next, where volunteers will be on hand with information, giveaways and advice on hands-only CPR.

Supporting the initiative is Bob Reville, a business owner born and raised in Sheffield. In 2013, Bob received life-saving CPR from Meadowhall security team member Steve Clark and his colleagues after experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest in the Oasis Dining Quarter. Steve and the team quickly used their training to perform the CPR and retrieved one of the centre’s defibrillators which administered a crucial shock to Bob's heart.

Ahead of the CPR-a-thon next week, an emotional reunion took place between Bob and Steve at Meadowhall, twelve years after the incident.

Bob said: “I remember ordering a Sunday dinner and sitting down on a particular stool in the Oasis Dining Quarter and that’s it, I don’t remember anything else - the next thing I was being woken up in hospital and told it was Tuesday night.

“I feel extremely grateful to Steve and the team. If it wasn’t for Steve’s quick actions, not only may I have not been here now, but I certainly would not be living the life I am now. I have made virtually a full recovery and that’s purely down to how quickly Steve started CPR.” 

Steve is also now a Community First Responder at Meadowhall following the launch of a partnership with Yorkshire Ambulance Service in 2023 to train staff. 

Darren Pearce, Centre Director at Meadowhall, said: “The CPR-a-thon is what Valentine’s Day is all about – putting our hearts first. We’re hoping it will be a powerful way to shine a spotlight on the vital skills everyone should know for early CPR intervention.

“By supporting the event, our visitors can make a real difference to those around them as well as within the wider community, all while supporting the vital work of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity.”

Sarah Aston, Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity Officer, said: “The CPR-a-thon event celebrates the heart in the most meaningful way this Valentine’s Day. We know that 80% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in the home so by learning CPR, one day you might be able to save the life of a loved one.

“This said, you can never know when or where you might need to carry out CPR, so being prepared means you are ready to help a friend, neighbour, colleague or stranger.

“Please come along and support this event and help us to save more lives across Yorkshire by funding CPR training and working with local groups to place life-saving defibrillators in local communities.

“The YAS Charity relies entirely on the generous donations from individuals and businesses to enable it to support and provide life-saving initiatives across the region. We simply could do not it without your help.”

Those wishing to support the initiative can donate on the day at the centre or via JustGiving here.

The CPR-a-thon will take place as Yorkshire Ambulance Service launches its 13^th annual campaign to provide CPR training to more than 40,000 students on Restart a Heart Day (Friday 16^th October 2026). Secondary schools across Yorkshire can register for the free life-saving lesson here from 14^th February 2026. Since the campaign began in 2013, an incredible 311,432 schoolchildren across the region have learned the vital skill.

Meadowhall is equipped with two public access defibrillators, located on the Lower High Street and in the Customer Hub, helping to support the safety of visitors, staff and the wider community.

To find out more, visit: www.meadowhall.co.uk