A former journalist, showbiz editor and television presenter is making a leap from the media industry to the charity sector to help bone barrow and blood donation charities.

Reena Combo, the former editor of Desi Xpress newspaper and then Ikonz magazine, has co-founded ‘Desi Donors’ and is organising an event in Birmingham this week to raise money for the Anthony Nolan Trust.

Actress and writer Meera Syal added her support to the campaign this week, saying: “As someone who has supported Anthony Nolan Trust in the past, I am so happy that Desi Donors has been set up to help raise the important awareness of joining the Bone Marrow register.”

She added: “There are thousands of Asians dying unnecessarily because there aren’t enough young people joining the register. Asian people need to realise the importance of this and the fact that they could be saving a life.”

26-year-old Reena Combo decided to form the awareness charity after hearing the plight of eight-year old Dean Sheikh, a sufferer of Dyskeratosis Congenita (a form of Bone Marrow failure) and Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson Syndrome (a condition affecting the ability to walk and talk).

She said: “Desi Donors will hopefully raise Asian people’s awareness on how important it is to register. Setting up this charity has been one of the most important things we have ever done.”

The fund-raising event, taking place on Friday 10th July, will feature performers including Taz (Stereo Nation), Shin (DCS), Miss Que Tee, Mona Singh, Panjabi by Nature, Tarli Digital, Gurcharan Mall (Dhol Blasters), Shizzio and others.