Birmingham Smell and Taste Action Group hosts second successful meetup

The Birmingham Smell and Taste Action Group is making a real impact, raising awareness of smell and taste disorders while creating a supportive community. This month, they successfully held their second meetup in the heart of the city, hosted at Runway East, who generously provided their premises free of charge.

Fourteen attendees joined the session, which featured the latest updates on smell and taste research and campaigning. Marianne Martin, a dedicated Fifth Sense volunteer and perfumer, shared insights on smell training, and Dr John King from Warwick University gave a fascinating talk on his work exploring the connection between olfaction and memory.

The event wasn’t just informative—it was a chance for attendees to share stories, experiences, and tips for living with smell and taste disorders. Participants ranged from those newly diagnosed to individuals living with anosmia, parosmia, or hyperosmia, some for over 30 years. One attendee commented, “I thought the event was extremely useful and I would like to say a big thank you to the event organisers and all who attended the session.  It is really good to know that you are not alone in your lived experiences and there are people and organisers who really understand and care”.

The group also looked ahead, planning to meet three times a year and even discussing a collaborative fundraiser for 2025. Attendees from outside Birmingham expressed interest in starting meetups in their local areas, including Mansfield, Warwick, and Stevenage. If you’re based in or around these locations and want to get involved, please contact sally.connick@fifthsense.org.uk.

Fifth Sense extends heartfelt thanks to Glynis, Terry, and Susan for organising the event and to Runway East and the National Lottery Community Fund for their support. Look out for more updates and events from the Birmingham Smell and Taste Action Group coming soon.