A TEENAGER from Rayleigh has become the face of a national campaign empowering young blind people.

Lewis Smith, 19, is a student at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford and was chosen to front its “I Can” campaign, having realised his dream of studying robotics.

He began to experience problems with his sight while studying engineering at South Essex College and was diagnosed with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, an inherited cell degeneration, that mostly affects young men, just before his 18th birthday.

However, he said his learning was given a new lease of life at the college for the blind.

He said: “I had been offered an apprenticeship with National Rail. However, due to my sight loss, it was withdrawn on medical grounds, citing it would be unsafe.

“I spent the next year not knowing what to do and struggling to get any meaningful careers advice.”

Once at the college, however, he was able to continue with his hobbies and interests, including setting up a sci-fi film club with fellow students, and taking up activities such as archery and tank driving.

He is studying business and IT, which includes elements of robotics, and so was asked to front the campaign to inspire others.

He said: “It felt weird to be asked to be part of the campaign, as I didn’t think I’d have something to offer.

“When you are given the chance to do something like this, you can’t really turn it down.

“I was mixed between being nervous and worried.

“Robotics sounds cool and when you see one working it is cool, but once you delve into the subject it can seem a bit dry which, of course, doesn’t bother someone as interested as me!”

He is now hoping to incorporate robotics into his future career and has considered working in IT or teaching the subject.

I Can Do Robotics is Lewis’s video and can be seen at www.rnc.ac.uk/ican