PUPILS at a school in Tockington were visited today by a future Paralympian, talking about her disability and a global campaign she has started.

Verity Smith, a blind international dressage rider from Minchinhampton who is targeting a place at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, spoke to children, parents and teachers during an assembly at Tockington Manor School about the #BeatTheBlindfold campaign.

The aim of the campaign is to overturn a ruling made by the Paralympic Committee demanding ‘blind’ riders worldwide must wear a blindfold while competing.

To demonstrate the impact of the disability, the school’s head teacher Stephen Symonds was led into the assembly blindfolded by a pupil.

Mrs Smith, who has 10 percent residual vision, allowing her to only see light and dark, was led into the assembly by another child, and her guide dog Uffa.

Following the assembly, Mrs Smith said: “It is great that a school like Tockington has the creativity to enforce the campaign, as it is so important for children to have a proper introduction to disability when they are young.

“When I had spoken to the children in the past it is about achievement, but not once have we talked about the fact I can’t see.

“It is absolutely magical to have someone like Steve coming forward to show what it is like to be blind in front of an audience.

“I then suggested that they try doing something blindfolded, feeling the world through your hands and see how hard it is.

“The kids were very open minded, and the questions they asked were very sensitive and positive, with no fear to ask them.

Mr Symonds said: “Verity came in eight months ago, talking to the children about achieving their potential and dreams, it was good to have her come in today to talk about the campaign.

“For me the hall is a familiar setting, but even then, it was still very disorientating with no light to guide me, so for Verity on a horse, in a competition, to take those cues away would be the same thing.

“I was glad the children spoke up and ask questions, as that is part of what I wanted them to understand they can do.

Speaking of the ruling behind the campaign, Mrs Smith said: “The new rule is confusing and quite dangerous to take away the light and dark, stopping me from competing to the best of my potential, when I need all I have in my arsenal to come out in one piece.

“The blindfold is also a negative image, there is nothing more degrading than blacking out people’s eyes, despite the Paralympics aim to break down barriers and stereotypes.

The campaign, which looks to overturn the rule imposed in January 2015, has had a great deal of success worldwide, with notable attention in the United States, and is currently being captured as part of a documentary leading up to Rio 2016.

Through social media, the campaign encourages people to take selfies with their eyes covered, doing something “sporting, mundane or down-right mad” and post it with the hashtag #BeatTheBlindfold.