Nottingham Express Transit (NET) has awarded its 2026 Community Hero accolade to Tony and Wendy Swift.

Many Nottingham residents nominated the Swifts, who transform their home into the annual Nuthall Christmas Lights display, raising more than £300,000 for local charitable causes.

They have raised funds for charity When You Wish Upon a Star, which grants wishes to Nottingham children with life-threatening illnesses.

Another beneficiary of their efforts is Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust’s special palliative care unit, Hayward House, which is where Wendy’s father, John Sheeran, received treatment and care after developing terminal cancer.

The Swifts have been raising funds in this way for 22 years, but finally called a halt last year. They will now have a Nottingham tram named after them.

Tony and Wendy thanked the people who nominated them, and all those who have helped them over the last 22 years, especially sons Adam and Daniel and neighbours Mark and Jayne.

The judging panel consisted of Eve Smallman (editor of The Notts Edit), Oliver-James Campbell (founder of Notts Happening), David Russhard (principal lecturer in civil engineering at Nottingham Trent University), Donna Harrison (commercial coordinator at University of Nottingham Students’ Union) and Andy Downie (NET’s head of operations and safety).

Other Nottingham notables who have had a tram named in their honour include Switch Up founder Dr Marcellus Baz BEM, social enterprise Pulp Friction, former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, actress Vicky McClure, Olympic ice skaters Torvill and Dean, and the local dementia choir.

“Our community hero initiative places a spotlight on the everyday people that truly make a difference to the city, and this year’s nominations continued to showcase the abundance of fantastic and meaningful efforts made by people in Nottingham every single day.

“We’ve always been proud of using the names on the side of our trams to recognise the contributions of local people and, alongside our fleet of celebrity names, our rotating ‘community hero’ tram is a really special addition. As a public transport operator that connects friends, families and local communities, recognising these people’s achievements is something we are incredibly proud of, and we couldn’t do it without the general public, who help to bring so many of these wonderful stories to light.”

Alison Sweeney, head of marketing at NET