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Fifth Sense Timeline
Home Fifth Sense Timeline

Fifth Sense: the story so far

Fifth Sense was founded in 2012 by Duncan Boak, in partnership with Prof Carl Philpott, as a direct result of his experience of losing his sense of smell following a head injury and the lack of information or support to help him with this. It was reading ‘Season to Taste’ by Molly Birnbaum about her experience of smell loss that that made him realise he wasn’t alone. Not long after being introduced to Carl he had the idea to start the first charity of its kind to help others and transform the way that smell and taste disorders are recognised, treated and researched.

Fifth Sense has achieved a lot since. We were led entirely by volunteers until 2020, many of whom are still with us today. Our successes owe a lot to people power and show why our active community of volunteers, fundraisers and supporters is so vital to us. Below is a timeline of some of our key achievements since those early days.

  • 2024

We appoint Sally to lead our three-year Social Action Programme to enable more people affected by smell and taste disorders, and those with expertise in smell and taste, to play their part in our efforts to drive change in recognition, support and care. Fifth Sense partners on the Making Sense Garden, the first sensory garden to highlight smell disorders, which is displayed at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

  • 2023

We are awarded a significant grant by the National Lottery Community Fund to fund our Social Action Programme. We deliver education and training sessions to over 40 NHS Post-Covid Services in response to demand. Fifth Sense is awarded registered charity status in Scotland. Fifth Sense and ENT UK announce a strategic partnership focused on improving care for people affected by smell and taste disorders. 

  • 2022

The Fifth Sense board of trustees appoints Duncan as its first Chief Executive Officer. We are awarded significant funding by Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, in support of our pioneering ‘Smell Safety’ project, enabling Duncan to recruit a new team. Sarah, Mags and Helen join the charity.

  • 2020

We appoint our first staff team, Nina and Dan. The Covid-19 pandemic starts, with smell dysfunction being a major symptom. We successfully respond to the significant increase in demand for our information and services, pivoting to a virtual support and information model. We start delivering educational sessions for professionals and undertake the Smell and Taste Disorders Priority Setting Partnership, developing a set of research priorities in partnership with our beneficiaries. 

  • 2019

We are awarded our first significant funding by the National Lottery Community Fund.

  • 2017

Fifth Sense becomes a registered charity in England and Wales. We co-host SmellTaste2017, the first US conference for people with smell and taste disorders, in partnership with the University of Florida Center for Smell and Taste.

  • 2016

We are one of the featured charities at the Fragrance Foundation’s UK Awards Ceremony, resulting in a generous donation.

  • 2015

We form our first commercial partnership with FlavorActiV, the world’s leading sensory training and taster management company.

  • 2014

Our first research collaboration with the University of East Anglia ‘The Impact of Olfactory Disorders in the UK’, is published in the Chemical Senses journal.

  • 2013

We hold the UK’s first ever conference on smell and taste disorders. We start working with our first volunteer, Jim Boardman, who becomes our volunteer research coordinator. Over the next few years more people come forward and get involved as volunteers.

  • 2012

Duncan and Carl establish Fifth Sense. Duncan launches a website and is quickly contacted by people from all over the UK, and indeed the world, sharing their stories and talking of a shared lack of information and support.

  • 2011

Duncan reads ‘Season to Taste’ by Molly Birnbaum and writes to Prof Thomas Hummel, whose work he reads about in the book. Thomas introduces him to Carl.

  • 2010

Professor Carl Philpott establishes UK’s first NHS smell and taste clinic.

  • 2005

 Duncan loses his sense of smell following a severe head injury.