In the past 30 years there has been an increase in kidney failure cases

A total of 1,080 patients have undergone the procedure there.

Until recently, kidneys could only be taken from dead donors, but now the organs can be also be taken from live donors with minimum risk.

The first kidney transplant to take place in Nottingham was performed by Mr (later Professor) Roger Blamey at Nottingham City Hospital in 1974.

Currently more than 190 local patients are on the hospital's waiting list.

People needing a transplant would have had to travel to the regional centre in Sheffield Professor Roger Blamey

Over the last 30 years there has been a significant increase in the number of people suffering kidney, or renal, failure - coupled with a decline in the number of suitable kidneys available for transplant.

Professor Roger Blamey who performed Nottingham's first kidney transplant said: "Back in 1974 the outlook for Nottingham patients with renal failure was pretty bleak.

"People needing a transplant would have to travel to the regional centre in Sheffield which had a very long waiting list.

"We had no dialysis facilities in Nottingham at the time and myself and Consultant Renal Physician, Martin Knapp thought lives could be saved by pressing ahead with the transplant programme in Nottingham."

Live transplants

In March 1999 consultant surgeon Magdi Shehata carried out Nottingham City Hospital's first keyhole nephrectomy, a live kidney transplant.

To date 122 such transplants have been carried out with more than 20 expected to have been performed in 2004.

In 2000 Mrs Joan Wilmot became the hospital's oldest donor when she donated a kidney to her son Brian at the age of 73.

Sheila Fisher, the oldest person to receive a kidney under Nottingham City Hospital's live donor programme (in 2001), said: "My new kidney was a golden wedding anniversary present from my husband Adrian and with it came a wonderful new lease of life, not just for me but for my whole family.

Patients will get together with hospital staff and the Lord Mayor of Nottingham in a civic reception at the Council House in Old Market Square on Wednesday.