Regional Hub Activities April/May 2015

Fifth Sense’s volunteer-led Regional Hub network forms the foundation of our efforts to bring Fifth Sense members together to meet, share experiences, make new friends and have some fun along the way.  Here’s some news on a couple of recent get-togethers.

For more information and to join our developing network please visit www.fifthsense.org.uk/regionalhubs.  We would welcome more volunteers, particularly from areas where we don’t have a volunteer Regional Coordinator in place already.  For information on how to volunteer visit www.fifthsense.org.uk/volunteering

Thames and Chiltern (Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire)

Volunteer Regional Coordinator Alison Crowe recently organised her first meeting of members in Beaconsfield, near High Wycombe, on Saturday 11th April.  Here’s Alison:

It went really well and It was lovely to meet some members from the region and get to know them a little.  People were also very interested to hear about the FS conference and everyone was happy to take some Fifth Sense flyers with them to distribute in GP surgeries.  

If you live in the Thames and Chiltern region and wish to get in touch and join Alison’s group then you can email her at Thames@fifthsense.org.uk

Eastern (Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk)

Dan Kunkle very kindly opened up the doors of his Cambridge home on Saturday 16th May and hosted an ‘Anosmic Smorgasbord’ – a lunch for Fifth Sense members with everyone preparing and bringing a dish.  Some really delicious food was eaten on the day, with the focus being on strong basic tastes, textures and bright colours.  Cucumber with chilli and soy sauce, a salad of bitter radicchio and sweet mandarin, and nutty bulgur wheat salad with a preserved lemon, mint and sumac salsa were just some of the highlights.

L-R: Natalie, Fenglin, Marjorie, Roy, Lizzy and Dan

Over lunch everyone had the opportunity to talk about their own experience of living with an
olfactory disorder, the challenges this brings, and ways of dealing with them.  One thing everyone agreed is that getting together and sharing experiences is a really important and positive thing, and another get-together is going to be happening in the near future.  If you’d like to get involved then please get in touch,

If you’d like to get involved with the Eastern hub then please drop Dan an email at Eastern@fifthsense.org.uk