A Northland man is keeping busy today despite the news he's being honoured.

John Bain is being made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work in sport and the community in this year's Queen's Birthday honours list.

Mr Bain has contributed to the Northland community for more than 35 years, on a number of sports boards, with local ambulance services and on the Northern Regional Council.

And he says today will be spent continuing to do just that.

"I'll probably read some minutes for a meeting or two next week actually, I've got quite a lot of work to do over this weekend," Bain laughed.

"But my wife and I will engage with some people. We might open a bottle of bubbly or something."

He says he's been extremely busy but the hard work has paid off.

"There are times when you get frustrated with the way things are going, you get upset when some things aren't quite as successful as you wish, but in the end an honour like this comes out of the blue and you are extremely, extremely gratified."