With its funding about to cease at the end of this month, the final Ruby Country Project Steering Group meeting was held at Hatherleigh on Tuesday, March 17.

At this meeting the Holsworthy MCTi and the Hatherleigh Area Project outlined their intention to set up a jointly owned not-for-profit company that will take the Ruby Country Initiative forward as a truly local project. It will also be in a stronger position to bid for funding (such as the forthcoming LAGs) and allows it to determine its own future.

Details still have to be worked out, but this will enable the project to continue and, it is hoped, lead to a very bright future for Ruby Country. It also confirms its place as an innovative, local project incorporating the principles of triple bottom line accounting — community, economy and environment.

Chairing the last meeting of the Steering Group in this current phase, John Allen outlined the success of the project to date and reiterated the determination of local people to build on that track record to take Ruby Country and the local area forward.