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Home SmellTaste Page 6
Latest News
8 March 2023

Bringing the Senses Together

Bringing the senses together

SmellTaste was very pleased to be part of ‘Bringing the Senses Together’, a joint Society of Cosmetic Scientists, British Society of Perfumers and British Society of Flavourists event held at the Royal Society of Chemistry on 9th February, as guests of BSP President Marianne Martin, who has also joined the SmellTaste volunteering team.

CEO Duncan Boak and Advisory Board member Graham Wynne represented SmellTaste, with Duncan giving a talk to delegates highlighting the work that SmellTaste is doing to provide vital support, education and research on behalf of people affected by smell and taste disorders. 

 

We’d like to say a huge thank you to the BSP, SCS and BSF for their support and everyone who we spoke with and made a donation on the day

By SmellTaste
Latest News
27 February 2023

It is time we talked about our senses of smell and taste.

1-TomL Eliza Chelmsford

SmellTaste is calling for greater recognition of the impact that smell and taste disorders have on people’s health, wellbeing and safety, along with better services, support and research to help those affected and their families.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the significant health inequalities faced by people affected by smell and taste disorders. More people than ever before have now experienced the life-changing impact on physical and mental health, nutrition, safety and personal relationships, whilst being faced with a lack of knowledge, diagnosis and treatment from the healthcare system.

Many people have been left to fend for themselves, sometimes spending money on unproven, ineffective or potentially harmful complementary therapies and treatments they have read about online or in the media.

It’s important for everyone to know that smell and taste dysfunction isn’t limited to Covid-19.  Since SmellTaste was established in 2012 we have led the way in representing the needs of the many people experiencing problems with smell and taste from a wide range of causes. Our work since then has shown that whatever the cause of the problem, people experience the same lack of support, diagnosis and treatment. We recognise that it’s now time to take a big step forward and lead a campaign calling for significant change. It is time we talked about our senses of smell and taste.

Our calls for action:

    • Ensure that everyone in the UK has fast access to a specialist clinic with the development of a network of regional smell and taste clinics
    The limited number of specialist clinics means that many people are unable to get early diagnosis and treatment. We want to ensure that everyone in the UK can get a referral to a specialist smell and taste service if they need it and put an end to the current postcode lottery that exists.
    • Ensure that smell testing is routinely undertaken in public health settings to identify all those who need support, information and care  
    Regular testing of people’s sense of smell will enable a range of potential problems to be diagnosed sooner and people given support and information to aid their health, wellbeing and safety.  It will enable children with congenital anosmia to receive an early diagnosis so they and their parents can be given appropriate support and information. Routine smell testing can play a key role in monitoring our health as we age, and also aid early diagnosis of neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease.Routine testing leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment has wider benefits too, an important one being that it would provide the potential for the NHS to save money.
    • Widen access to education and training for all health and social care professionals
    We want to ensure that all health and social care professionals understand and recognise the impact that smell and taste impairment can have on people and are able to offer appropriate support.  This includes people being offered a referral to a specialist smell and taste clinic, dietician or mental health service when they need it, along with appropriate support and information to help them self-manage their condition.
    • Funding for vital research to improve our understanding of the causes of smell and taste dysfunction, develop much-needed new treatments, and find new ways of helping people live well with their condition
    At present, treatments for many causes of smell and taste dysfunction are very limited.  We need the government and industry to commit to funding research that better understands these causes and develops new ways of treating them. We also need research to better understand the longer-term impact of smell and taste dysfunction on our health and wellbeing and its role in healthy ageing, and help people live safely and well with their condition
    • A significant increase in recognition of the impact of smell and taste disorders on our health, wellbeing and safety by the government, public and private sectors
    We want to ensure that policymakers, public services and industry understand and recognise the life-changing impact of smell and taste impairment so that people get the recognition, understanding and access to support and services they all too often lack.  It is time that society recognised the central and essential role that smell and taste play in our lives.  

We’re already taking action.

SmellTaste has started a significant project supported by major funding from Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, to increase awareness of the essential role that our sense of smell plays in our health, wellbeing and safety, and enable people with a poor, altered or no sense of smell to stay safe and well at home. This three-year project will encompass a significant body of activity, with the delivery of support, information and education at its core. We also want to ensure that low-cost natural gas detectors become readily available and routinely used in the same way as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 

Please get involved and support our vital work.

2-FS AD2020

SmellTaste is a small, yet ambitious and growing charity. We work collaboratively with a wide range of partners across science, academia and the public, private and third sectors. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us, and we need support to help us grow, develop and benefit many more people.

Please consider setting up a regular donation to support our vital work. You can donate safely and securely via our Just Giving account

Perhaps you’d like to fundraise for SmellTaste? Whether you want to run a marathon, or hold a cake sale or coffee morning, there’s no challenge too big, or too small, and you can be creative too in doing your own thing! Not only will you raise vital funds for the charity, you’ll also help raise awareness of an unrecognised and marginalised issue. Find out more about getting involved here.

All money raised will go into the SmellTaste Development Fund and help us grow our support and information services, professional education and public engagement activity and support vital research.

Stay in touch

We know what a difference people power can make, and there are going to be plenty of ways to get involved as our campaign develops. Please sign up to our campaign and be kept informed of developments and opportunities here: http://eepurl.com/hXFk_5 

If you’ve got any questions, comments or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us at info@fifthsense.org.uk

Thank you for your support.

Stronger together

Partnership working is vital to achieving our goals. We are already collaborating with a range of individuals and organisations including NHS England, leading clinicians and scientists, third sector and community-facing organisations and industry.

We are empowering people with the lived experience to help and support others too; SmellTaste volunteers are already passing on vital safety advice to people in their own communities.

SmellTaste is also part of the #WeAreAble campaign, highlighting how smell disorders can make people more vulnerable to dangers such as gas, smoke or spoiled food, and steps that members of our community have taken to stay safe at home.  Visit weareable.uk to find out more.

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By SmellTaste
Latest News
21 February 2023

Upcoming Webinar on COVID-19 Related Smell Recovery

Ambassador, Carl Philpott, to deliver webinar on COVID-19 related smell recovery.

As part of our growing Anosmia Awareness Day campaign series, we are delighted to announce our very own Ambassador, Carl Philpott, will be joining a webinar by GCCR (Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research).

The webinar takes place on 27th February at 13:00pm (UK time) to tie in with Anosmia Awareness Day. Carl will be joined by moderators, Dr Maria Veldhuizen and Dr Daniel Hwang, as well as Dr Oghogho Braimah, who will be presenting the “Clinical Approach to a patient with chemosensory dysfunction; lessons from COVID-19”.

These topics have received huge exposure recently and affected a vast number of people as a result of the COVID pandemic. Please see details below on how to join and support.

Picture 1

Dr Carl Philpott is a long-serving SmellTaste Ambassador, and is currently working as Professor of Rhinology & Olfactory at University of East Anglia. He is also an Honorary Rhinologist Consultant and ENT Surgeon. Head over to our team page to learn more about Carl and the vital role he’s played for a number of years.

To join this open webinar please click the following link:
https://zoom.us/j/97353178182?pwd=QUEwL1AxMytNWVA1WUJiTmdNTVNzZz09

By SmellTaste
Latest News
16 February 2023

Anosmia Awareness Day Open Webinar Organised by IFRA

SmellTaste will be keeping you up to date with plans for this year’s Anosmia Awareness Day, starting with a collaborative webinar on 27th February organised by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) lasting around 45 minutes.

CEO and Founder, Duncan Boak, will be joining IFRA (International Fragrance Association) and teaming up with Professor Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the Centre for the Study of the Senses, who will shed light on the science and philosophy of smell. Duncan will be delving into the emotional and psychological effects of losing this vital sense through the lens of his own experience. Whether you’re a fragrance professional, an anosmia sufferer, or simply someone with a passion for scent, this webinar is a must-attend.

The webinar is open for anyone to join and has already received hundreds of registrations. To register your interest and sign up, please visit: https://www.mynewsdesk.com/ifrafragrance/events/webinar-anosmia-awareness-day-103291 

This event is just one of many taking place on Anosmia Awareness Day (Monday 27th February), so keep your eyes peeled to our latest news pages and social channels for regular updates over the next week (@fifthsenseuk).


For any questions on the event, please get in touch with Charles de Lusignan, Global Communications Director at IFRA, using cdelusignan@ifrafragrance.org.

We look forward to being part of this event and seeing everyone supporting such a great cause. Thank you!

By SmellTaste
Latest News
14 February 2023

The Impact of Parosmia on Mental Health and Nutrition

SmellTaste’s latest #LetsTalkSmellandTaste event on 1st February, the Parosmia Network, highlighted the impact that smell distortions have on people’s diet, nutrition and on physical and emotional wellbeing.

Parosmia often makes things smell deeply unpleasant, with burning, sewage or chemical-like smells being common. We heard about the challenges this causes people in finding suitable food, being understood by those around them and in getting appropriate dietary and psychological support from the NHS.

What was clear from those who shared their experiences and suggestions, was the huge range of challenges people face, some of whom have been experiencing parosmia for many months, including significant impact on physical and mental health and nutrition, and a lack of recognition and support from healthcare professionals.

This is a complex set of problems with no easy answers or available treatments, but our Parosmia Network provides a forum where people can share experiences, tips and coping mechanisms.

Please see below feedback from the event which was hugely positive…

“It was reassuring. It was good to hear other people’s experiences that are so similar.”

“I enjoyed listening to others and their thoughts and techniques that they have tried.”

“We can feel isolated and alone so I recommend these events as a way to feel part of a community that understands.”

SmellTaste recognises that much more needs to be done, which is why we are taking action. We are having ongoing dialogue with NHS England about the impact that post-COVID parosmia is having on people’s physical and mental health and we are calling for better education for healthcare professionals. We’re going to be sharing results of these discussions very soon.

We’re also going to be organising another Parosmia Network session.  Please join our community at www.fifthsense.org.uk/join to make sure you receive details.

By SmellTaste
Latest News
9 February 2023

SmellTaste Team Deliver Webinar to the Met Police

The SmellTaste team were invited to deliver a webinar highlighting the importance of sense of smell, and impact of smell and taste disorders to the Metropolitan Police. This was presented on 19th January 2023 as part of their Lunch and Learn series.

SmellTaste Ambassador and serving Met Officer, Carl Hughes, opened the session talking about his experience of losing sense of smell following an acquired brain injury.

Carl said “For the last 20 years I have had the pleasure of policing London, and over that time there have been a lot of challenges, not least those created by my loss of smell. Being able to share my experiences of smell loss with colleagues and help them realise how it can affect day to day policing with the help of SmellTaste has been a great step towards wider recognition of this disability.”

Many of the Met Police staff in attendance valued sense of smell as part of their role – 85% rated it as extremely important to them in a poll taken during the session! Examples of this include not being able to smell alcohol on a suspect’s breath, or detect a gas leak when on a call out to someone who has collapsed at home.

The talk covered a variety of topics from the impact of smell and taste disorders on people’s health, wellbeing and safety, to highlighting the range of services and support provided by SmellTaste.

SmellTaste CEO and Founder, Duncan Boak, added “It has been great working with Carl and his colleagues in the Met on this session. It’s very positive to see the recognition from serving officers of how important smell is to their professional roles and the understanding of how smell disorders can impact on themselves, colleagues, their staff and the public they serve.”

By SmellTaste
Latest News
8 February 2023

Preview: BACO International 2023 at ICC Birmingham

SmellTaste are pleased to be exhibiting at BACO International 2023 event at the ICC Birmingham on 15 – 17 February. We welcome all visitors to come and say hello at our stand.

Having gone virtual in 2021, this year will be the first face-to-face event since 2018. The location for this year’s BACO is Birmingham’s ICC, with a whole host of speaker sessions, panels, exhibition stands and networking events planned. Click here to see the full programme. 

For more information about the conference, the location and social events taking place please click here.

We look forward to seeing everyone there… here’s some pictures from previous events to wet your appetite. 

By SmellTaste
Latest News
3 February 2023

SmellTaste Bulletin – January Edition by Duncan Boak

Dear SmellTaste members and supporters,

A very happy new year to you all, I hope you enjoyed the Christmas break and time with family and friends.  At SmellTaste we have started the year by wishing a very warm welcome to Mags Robinson, who joins the team as Support and Information Officer. Mags brings a great deal of experience from her roles in education and the charity sector and is quickly settling in to her new role with us. Mags will be responsible for responding to all enquiries that come into SmellTaste and providing direct support to those who need it. She’ll also be organising and co-hosting our virtual #LetsTalkSmellAndTaste sessions, and plenty more besides. I hope you’ll get the opportunity to meet her soon.

 

At the same time we’re saying a fond farewell to Dan Scott, who leaves SmellTaste to move on to the next stage of his career.  Dan has been a superstar during the two and a half years he has been with us. He has been heavily involved in our communications, the development of our information resources, and has demonstrated his talent for film making with the various information videos he has produced. A really important part of his work over the last year or so has been providing direct support to people who contact us and it has been great to see him grow and develop in this part of his role, and of course, achieve a distinction in his marketing apprenticeship. We will really miss Dan and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours, and I know that many of you will wish the same.   

We’re going to be issuing another newsletter to tie in with Anosmia Awareness Day on 27 February which will contain more information on our plans for this year and beyond, including details of a significant new project which we are looking forward to sharing with you.

One particular highlight from January is the webinar we delivered for the Metropolitan Police on smell and taste disorders. One topic covered was how having a problem with the sense of smell can have an impact on a serving officer’s role; being unable to smell alcohol on a suspect’s breath, or detect a gas leak when on a call out to someone who has collapsed at home, for example. Our session was introduced by Met officer and SmellTaste Ambassador Carl Hughes, who shared his own experience of smell loss and how it has had an impact on his personal and professional life, and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Carl for his ongoing support. I’m really pleased that the Met have recognised that this is an important issue, and I think this webinar sets the tone for the work we are going to be undertaking in the year ahead.  We’ll look forward to being in touch again later this month.

Best wishes,

Duncan Boak

Chief Executive and founder

 

By SmellTaste
Latest News
20 January 2023

#WeAreAble Campaign Supported by SmellTaste

#WeAreAble will look to raise awareness and understanding for those that could be vulnerable to potential safety issues at home, including those of us with a smell disorder, and will help to highlight resources such as the Priority Service Register.

It will also provide handy ‘how to’ guides and practical information that will make a difference to people that need support.  

Founder and CEO, Duncan Boak stated “we know that safety is a real concern for many people with a poor, altered or no sense of smell and we’re determined to ensure that everyone with a smell disorder has the support and information they need to stay safe and well at home.”

That is why we are part of the #WeAreAble campaign. You can find out more about #WeAreAble and sign up to the campaign newsletter at https://weareable.uk

The campaign will include stories from SmellTaste members highlighting some of the safety challenges they have faced at home and how our information and support has helped them.

Inspired by his own life experiences, Duncan setup SmellTaste to help and inform people affected by smell and taste disorders, which was the first of its kind to provide support, advice and treatment to people affected by such conditions.

For more information on SmellTaste and the tools they provide, visit https://www.smelltaste.org.uk/

By SmellTaste
Latest News
17 January 2023

Mags Robinson joins as Support and Information Officer

SmellTaste UK is pleased to introduce and welcome Mags Robinson to our team. Mags will start immediately in her role as Support and Information Officer. 

Mags has experience with health-related charities working as support and information officer, so brings a wealth of expertise to the position.

Mags states “I enjoy working with and alongside those affected by health conditions to share their lived experience so that family, friends, employers, services and healthcare professionals can better understand the impact on their quality of life and how they can help. 

I am so looking forward to working alongside members of the SmellTaste community to highlight the essential role that smell and taste play in our lives and the very real consequences of smell and taste dysfunction on the safety and well-being of those affected.”

Based in the UK, SmellTaste help people affected by smell and taste disorders across the world and are the first charity providing direct support, advice and a signpost to potential diagnosis and treatment to people affected by such conditions.

In 2022, SmellTaste were named British Society of Perfumers Charity of the Year, and are looking forward to collaborating to drive forward vital support, education and research.

Read more about the support, information and action SmellTaste is taking by clicking here.

By SmellTaste