To qualify for the Games in Sochi next March, the British team must finish in the top three of a six-team tournament, with Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea and Sweden all taking part.

A Grant from BT will help lessen the funding gap the British team needs in their preparations for the Winter Games and see them to the Sochi Qualifier due to take place in Turin from the October 20 until 26.

As a long-time supporter of the Paralympic Movement in the UK, BT is supporting one of its Ambassadors, Nathan Stephens, who hopes he and the British team came make the most of their support.

"BT has supported me for the past four years and when I told them that I really needed their help, they came good again," he said.

"They have been involved with Paralympic sport for over 20 years and their support to me and my teammate's means that we can go to Turin and try and secure a place at the Winter Paralympic Games.

"As a team we are in the best shape of our lives and we will be doing everything in our power to qualify for Sochi."

Stephens was part of the last British sledge hockey team to qualified for the Paralympics, at Turin in 2006.

Since then he has turned his attention to track and field, competing in the javelin at London 2012, but makes a welcome return to the sledge hockey team, in time for the tournament in Turin.

Nathan Stephens turned his attention to the javelin after the 2006 Winter Games