SUE Ryder – which runs Manorlands hospice at Oxenhope – has launched a campaign highlighting links between people's senses and the grieving process.

The initiative – A Sense of Grief – aims to encourage greater understanding of how touch, sight, sound, smell and taste can trigger emotions.

A two-day pop-up exhibition was staged to launch the campaign.

Visitors were guided through a range of sensory objects and experiences, shared by Sue Ryder celebrity ambassadors and people the charity has supported, that have evoked feelings associated with grief.

Stands at the event, in the Corn Exchange, Leeds, featured items such as loved ones' favourite perfumes or hand creams, and paintings and poems.

In research by Sue Ryder, 91 per cent of respondents said sensory triggers reminded them of someone they had grieved or are grieving.

Most people surveyed said they experienced such moments "multiple" times a week, with one in five experiencing them every day.

But many said support can make a difference. Forty-four per cent said a hug from a friend could be helpful when sensory triggers evoked feelings of grief, and 15 per cent said kindness from a stranger would help.

Heidi Travis, for Sue Ryder, says: "The campaign highlights that those who are grieving can be impacted daily by many emotions and memories.

"A Sense of Grief aims to create a space for people to explore these sensory triggers and understand their impact – not only for those grieving, but for people who would like to support friends and family.

"Almost 90 per cent of people say they feel alone in their grief, and friends and family of those grieving tell us they just don’t know what to say or do. We believe that this is the perfect storm and leaves many grieving people feeling isolated.

"By talking about these common trigger moments, we want to help start conversations around grief. Try asking your friend or loved one 'what reminds you most of your mum?', for example. Most people tell us they want to talk about the person who has died, so invite them to and then spend as much time as you can simply listening."

Sue Ryder offers a range of bereavement support services, including free online counselling sessions.

For further information about family and bereavement support provided at Manorlands hospice, go to sueryder.org/how-we-can-help/sue-ryder-manorlands-hospice/services.

More about the A Sense of Grief campaign can be found at sueryder.org/senses.