Travel still on hold — for now
John Bain made a promise to his wife some time ago to “cut back” to enable them to travel.
And there still didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day they were working on it, he said after he was named in the Queen’s Birthday honours list as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Mr Bain is a man of many talents — it was he who got Northland’s emergency helicopter service up and flying, he has been involved in a raft of community initiatives and sporting endeavours and has been a local government politician for many years, but the honour still came as a surprise.
“It’s an honour I didn’t expect, and I am humbled with the recognition, as I have always had great people around me as part of a team to work with, right back to when it all started in the 1960s as a teenager raising enthusiasm and enough dollars to take a group to the National Surf Life Saving champs in Christchurch,” he said.
“My wife Jean and family deserve part of this honour, as they have supported me, and sometimes gone without, to help with the projects I have been involved with.”
His greatest satisfaction was the success of the Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) rescue helicopters.
“There were times, in the early days, when I lay awake at night wondering how the pilots were going to be paid in a few days. Somehow we always just made it,” he said.
“Financially we flew on the seats of our trousers for a long time but now have a world-leading service.
“NEST board members over the 25 years gave me fantastic backing, and now seeing the three helicopters flying all over our beautiful province, owned and operated by everyone, gives a great buzz too.”
People of all ages being able to participate in sport was important to him too, “So making sure children had good equipment, uniforms, and rooms to do their thing, and to have as good as the large cities had, was a reason to be involved.”
“Rugby became a passion. I was lucky to be able to work alongside Richie Guy and many dedicated rugby men on Northland Rugby at a time when Northland had just had the Ranfurly Shield and was really strong.”
He is still on the Sport Northland board but has cut down hours elsewhere “to play a bit more of the frustrating game of golf and the relaxing hobby of fly fishing. I hope to get better at both”.
He is also a Northland Regional councillor and Northland District Health Board member, and formerly, nationally and regionally, of the Order of St John, “a fantastic charity”.
“These three organisations all make our lives better, healthwise and environmentally, and again Northland deserves only the best so my time goes there,” he said.