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Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and other celebrities donate items for auction in memory of Joanna Warrener for Aplastic Anaemia Trust

Movie stars joined friends and family to raise thousands of pounds in memory of a film enthusiast who died suddenly at the age of 38.

Just eight weeks after being diagnosed with aplastic anaemia (AA), a rare blood disorder, Joanna Warrener died in hospital.

Her close friend Becca Hill, who she met in 2002 while working at Standard Life, Kings Hill, said: “We agreed on the day Jo died that we would do all we could to support the Aplastic Anaemia Trust to help others. It was a way of coping.”

Jo and her husband, Steve Warrener.
Jo and her husband, Steve Warrener.

Today is the first anniversary of her death and her friends and family have raised £7,500 in her memory.

Between attending film premieres and tweeting celebrities Ms Hill, 35, collected a range of objects from celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Hugh Jackman, Cara Delevingne and Helena Bonham Carter, which were auctioned off at a film-themed charity night at Lordswood Leisure Centre.

Ms Hill said: “The biggest bid was for the Mission Impossible CD signed by composer Joe Kraemer which went for £300 followed by Mission Impossible poster that went for £250.”

Becca Hill with some of the auction items she collected.
Becca Hill with some of the auction items she collected.

More than 150 people attended the event with £3,607 raised in total from tickets, the raffle and the auction. Team Shark, who won the quiz, donated their £150 prize money back to the charity.

Cllr Vince Maple acted as quizmaster, Cllr Rupert Turpin drew the raffle alongside Ms Hill and John Stockey from Clive Emson ran the auction.

More than 35 raffle prizes were donated from companies including Kent Cider Company, Kent Fine Foods, Bluebella, Cineworld and Reef Spa, with snacks donated by Tags Crisps from Dragons Den and Lumiere Aesthetics in West Malling.

Cllr Vince Maple, Steve Warrener, Becca Hill, Cllr Rupert Turpin, and Anna Martin from the AA Trust.
Cllr Vince Maple, Steve Warrener, Becca Hill, Cllr Rupert Turpin, and Anna Martin from the AA Trust.

Ms Hill said: “The evening went well and we are now looking to repeat the event in 2016 following responses from those who attended.

“We would like to thank everyone for their support of this event and helping us raise awareness of aplastic anaemia in memory of Jo who would have loved such a fun filled film themed night.

“It was a wonderful night and we look forward to raising more funds for the charity in the future in memory of Jo.”


Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious acquired blood disorder, where the bone marrow fails to produce essential blood cells.

It is particularly prevalent in people in their teenage years and twenties, but is also relatively common among the elderly.

It can be caused by exposure to chemicals, drugs, radiation, infection, immune disease, and heredity; in about half the cases, the cause is unknown.

Some of the symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, persistent sore throat, paleness of skin colour, nose bleeds and chest infection.

Visit www.theaat.org.uk for more information


Mrs Warrener was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in August 2014, and spent two months in hospital.

She seemed to be responding well to treatment and she was looking forward to returning home with her husband of eight years, Steve, 47, and their cat, Barley.

Jo died suddenly after developing aplastic anaemia.
Jo died suddenly after developing aplastic anaemia.

But in the early hours on November 5, Mrs Warrener suffered a cardiac arrest due to sepsis and died the next day.

As well as the charity night, Carol Seaborne from Wigmore raised £750 by running the Loch Ness 10k, and Mrs Warrener’s aunt, Sue Powney, raised almost £900 when she finished the Great South Run on her niece’s birthday. Mr Warrener’s fundraising page has also raised £2,251.

For more information contact charitynightforaatrust@gmail.com

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