“Where children in special schools have programmes tailor-made to their needs,” said the RNIB’s Angela Dinning, “Their mainstream peers may miss out on social and recreational opportunities. Our vacation schemes aim to give children, who may be the only visually impaired student in the school, the chance to meet and share experiences with other young people in a similar situation.”

The schemes are open to visually impaired young people added betweeneight and 17 and are usually oversubscribed. Fees for this year’s programmes were pound;225, which included accommodation meals and activities - but not transport to the venue. This year’s programme included music and the arts at RNIB’s Tudor Rushton Hall (eight to 11-year-olds), the activity programme at Atlantic College (12 to 17-year-olds) and an international computer camp in Stuttgart (15 to 17-year-olds).

For information about RNIB summer courses and copies of its leaflet Let’s Go, which details events and venues suitable for visually impaired children, tel: 0845 766 9999.