Kaitaia's Ricky Houghton finalist in New Zealander of the Year category

Kaitaia community leader Ricky Houghton is a finalist in the Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year category in the New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Kaitaia man Ricky Houghton is a finalist in the Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year category in the New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Mr Houghton is one of three finalists in the category.

New Zealander of the year finalists are Kristine Bartlett, a pay-equity campaigner from Lower Hutt; Mike King, a mental health advocate from Auckland who once lived near Waipu, and Dr Siouxsie Wiles, a microbiologist and researcher from Auckland.

Mr Houghton has led He Korowai Trust in Kaitaia since the early 2000s, ensuring people are given love, hope and a pathway to a better future.

He has saved more than 550 Far North homes from mortgagee sales, keeping 6400 vulnerable Kiwis housed. He has overseen services in justice and whanau development for 800-plus families.

The trust is about to set up Sweetas (Students Without Education, Employment - Training, Achieving, Succeeding) to provide training, education, and eventually employment for Kaitaia youth.

The awards' chief judge, Cameron Bennett, said the three in the running for New Zealander of the Year may come from very different backgrounds and work in very different fields, but they share admirable attributes of conscience, courage and commitment.

The winner will be announced at a special awards gala in Auckland on February 22.

Previous winners of the New Zealander of the Year award include Kaitaia GP Dr Lance O'Sullivan in 2014.