Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
Save a Life’s (S.A.L. ) campaign by the Hannam Family was a success. The evening was filled with laughter, music and generosity. The campaign was a resounding hit. On Saturday, February 21, at the Millennium Cocktail Bar, the community fundraiser raised a magnificent €2,024, every cent of which is destined for life-saving defibrillators across the Costa del Sol.
In just a few months, in July 2025, this grassroots initiative, which was born of a personal alarm, had already revolutionized local safety. Gerry Hannam survived a massive heart attack on London’s Waterloo Bridge thanks to quick CPR and an bystander who had a defibrillator. He returned to Calahonda to make sure no one else faces the same odds. Gerry said, “We could not thank the strangers that saved me. So we decided to give it back by ensuring that defibrillators where they are needed most.”
Personal campaign
They filled in the dangerous gaps left by local authorities. Each AED costs around €2,000, yet it can boost survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from just 10 per cent to as high as 70 per cent when used within minutes.
The results are clear. Since October 20, 2025, defibrillators have been installed in key locations including Pals Bars (El Zoco), El Campanario Plazas, Millennium Bars themselves, JJ’s Bars and Bridges Bars in Riviera Del Sol, as well as Supermercado in Miraflores. All defibrillators are registered and fully maintained with the Andalusian Emergency Services. They can save lives.
The defibrillator program is growing in Costa del Sol
The demand has now expanded beyond Calahonda. Communities across the Costa del Sol – from La Cala de Mijas to Benalmadena and Torremolinos – are calling for support, with the Hannams offering advice, supplier contacts and free CPR training where they cannot fund devices directly. The community takes action because local authorities will not do it!
The Saturday event featured local talent such as Ben Nelmes (headliner), The Soulmates, The 2319 Duo and Steve Owen. With €10 entry fees and generous raffle support, the packed Millennium Cocktail Bar buzzed with purpose.
It’s worth every minute we spend if we can save even one life.
Gerry and Jenny maintain their humility. “If we could save even one life, every hour of our efforts would be worth it.”
Save a Life shows that expats are capable of achieving anything. From a small personal project to a movement that spans the entire region, Save a Life is a testament to what they can do. The campaign is showing no signs of slowing down, with more fundraisers in the pipeline as well as inquiries flooding in.
Costa del Sol today is safer than ever, and with the Hannams, their community and incredible work, it will be even safer tomorrow.
