The reception featured a host of athletes, including world champion adaptive rower Tom Aggar (pictured below, far left), and was hosted by Don Foster (pictured below, third right), the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, where the BPA holds its pre-Games preparation camps.

Aggar, an EDF athlete ambassador, and Foster were joined by BPA chief executive Tim Hollingsworth (pictured above, right and below, third left) and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (pictured below, second right), Britain's most successful Paralympian, as well as EDF employees.

Hollingsworth said: "The British Paralympic Association would like to say a big thank you to all at its partner EDF Energy who have put in a great deal of time and effort to support our organisation and our athletes.

"With London 2012 just around the corner we are looking for the nation to get behind us and we're pleased to say that the staff at EDF Energy have done exactly that."

EDF have been helping the BPA to become a greener team and reduce their carbon footprint.

Paralympic champion swimmer Liz Johnson (pictured below, centre), also at the event and a member of Team EDF, who has been particularly vocal pushing the green agenda, added: "As a member of Team EDF I get to experience first hand the great support that EDF Energy is giving to ParalympicsGB, both with their fundraising and in helping us to be a greener team.


"I really hope we can repay all our supporters with a great team performance at London 2012."

The "greening" of the team has included the 2011 pre-Games preparation camp in Bath (mentioned above), which was the first of its kind to be globally accredited for sustainability from the Council for Responsible Sport.

EDF employees have participated in a range of different activities to help raise money for the BPA, including cake bakes, sponsored bike rides and a sitting volleyball day.

Gareth Wynn, EDF's London 2012 programme director, said: "Passing the £400,000 ($900,000/€500,000) mark for our fundraising for the British Paralympic Association is a great achievement and testimony to the huge efforts EDF Energy employees have gone to for this fantastic cause.

"It also goes to show what an inspiration this country's Paralympians can be for all of us – both on and off the field.

"This is demonstrated by the commitment that they have shown in the work they have been doing with EDF Energy to reduce the carbon footprint of their training camps.

As part of the legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, EDF Energy is also working with the BPA to help provide employment opportunities to Paralympic athletes after 2012.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]