How To Get Involved
Together we’re stronger.
Fifth Sense is a young, determined charity set up in 2012 with the sole aim of transforming the lives of those affected by smell and taste disorders. We are a small, but mighty, charity, tackling a big set of problems.
One of our strengths is how we actively involve people in our work, whether by raising vital funds, volunteering to provide peer support or raise awareness in their own community, or taking part in research projects. We’re always looking for people who would like to help.
Support Fifth Sense
Fifth Sense is leading the fight on behalf of all those affected by smell and taste disorders and we need support to accelerate our progress. There are lots of ways you can help.
Regular donations
You can set up a regular donation to Fifth Sense safely and securely through our Just Giving account. If you’re in work then you might be able to make a regular donation through Payroll giving. Speak to your employer, or get in touch with the Fifth Sense team at info@fifthsense.org.uk if you need more information.
Fundraising
Perhaps you’d like to fundraise for Fifth Sense? Whether you want to run a marathon, or hold a cake sale or coffee morning, there’s no challenge too big, or too small! Not only will you raise vital funds for the charity, you’ll also help raise awareness of an unrecognised and marginalised issue.
Sarah, who has congenital anosmia, held a cake sale at work on Anosmia Awareness Day to raise money for Fifth Sense.
Adam has Samters Triad, which causes chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. He has undertaken a range of challenges to raise funds for Fifth Sense, including marathons, a triathlon and his first ever 100km run! Adam has raised over £3,000 for Fifth Sense.
If you’d like to fundraise for us but aren’t sure where to start then we can help; simply drop us an email at info@fifthsense.org.uk
All money raised will go into the Fifth Sense Development Fund to help us grow our support and information services, our professional education and public engagement activity and support vital research.
We forget how much smell is part of our surroundings. Smell helps us understand where we are in the world and also what places mean to us. In losing my sense of smell I lost a significant part of my life, but I found Fifth Sense, who gave me support, hope and helped me make sense of what I was going through.
I was determined to find answers about my condition and what could be done. Through Fifth Sense I got all that and more, including information about a specialist who understood, cared and gave me a diagnosis.
I’m glad to say that I gradually recovered a lot of my sense of smell, but I know that many others aren’t so fortunate. That’s one of the reasons I continue to support Fifth Sense through regular payroll giving. Fifth Sense has this very special place for me and I want to help the charity to grow, develop and support many more people, just as they supported me.”
Ian Smeaton, Fifth Sense member. Ian supports Fifth Sense through regular payroll giving.
Volunteering
Volunteering is part of the lifeblood of Fifth Sense. We actively involve people with the lived experience of a smell or taste disorder in our work, giving them the opportunity to use their experiences to positive effect, whether by providing support to others, speaking at conferences for healthcare professionals, or raising awareness in their local community.
We also have volunteers who work in the food, beverage and fragrance industries; people who don’t themselves have a smell or taste disorder, but who are passionate about helping people and raising awareness of these under-recognised sensory impairments.
Meet some of our volunteer Ambassadors and Champions here
If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer then we’d love to hear from you.
Please email us at volunteering@fifthsense.org.uk
