A 90-year-old hospital volunteer has had a Nottingham City Transport (NCT) double-decker bus named after her, recognising nearly two decades of dedicated service to patients, visitors and staff at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
Margaret Wildgust has volunteered at City Hospital almost every Tuesday and Friday since 2006, becoming a familiar and much-loved face across the site. She now joins an established group of local heroes to be celebrated with an NCT bus bearing their name.
The honour forms part of NCT’s sponsorship of NUH’s People First Recognition Awards, where Margaret was announced as the winner of the Volunteer Award in November. She was visibly taken aback when her named NCT double-decker arrived outside Trust headquarters at City Hospital for the unveiling.
Margaret has supported numerous wards and roles over the years, from running errands and helping staff to welcoming patients and visitors, and is well known for her warmth, humour and her famous tub of sweets.
When the Brown 17 NCT double-decker pulled up, Margaret said:
“Ain’t it nice? I didn’t expect it at all. I am overwhelmed. It just shows how much we are appreciated. We don’t do it for that — we do it because we like people and we want to help.”
“If my husband was still here, he would be so proud.” she added.
Margaret was given a full tour of her bus and even had the chance to sit in the driver’s seat.
Sarah Cadwell-Sneath, Voluntary Services Coordinator at NUH, who nominated Margaret for the award, said:
“Margaret is a wealth of knowledge. She has dedicated nearly 20 years of her life to NUH and is a massive asset to our team. Everyone who walks through the doors at City Hospital knows Margaret for her kindness, compassion and her abundance of sweets.”
David Conway, Head of Operations at Nottingham City Transport, said:
“Fundamentally, volunteers do not get enough recognition across the entire community. Volunteers simply turn up and continue to give their time to help others. It is wonderful that we can bring some recognition to people like Margaret, and we are delighted to have named a bus after her.”
Margaret joins fellow NUH Volunteer Award winners Roy Brooks-Porter and Ernesto Marongiu, along with other notable individuals honoured by NCT bus namings, including Sheku Kanneh-Mason, BBC Young Musician of the Year, and retired sports journalist Henry Blofeld OBE
If you’d like to find out more about volunteering opportunities at the Trust, please visit: www.nuh.nhs.uk/volunteer-here
And if a member of NUH staff or a team have gone above and beyond in caring for you or a relative, you can nominate them here: www.nuh.nhs.uk/awards
Posted on 03 February 2026
