In Glossop on Thursday I unveiled Vaughan Parker's huge mural at the Mental Health Project on Charles Street. It is a true celebration of the support that is so gladly given to those with mental health problems. How the service users and their neighbours enjoyed it!

On Friday at Buxton Library I saw how a variety of artistic techniques are used in the rehabilitation of people with a wide range of medical conditions. The outcome here was a series of exciting and colourful cardboard coasters. These are being distributed to cafes and other establishments around the High Peak.

High Peak Community Arts was involved in both projects. On Monday I took the new Culture Secretary, Andy Burnham MP, to meet them at their New Mills headquarters. It was also a good opportunity to celebrate the latest Lottery funding award for their work!

A couple of weeks ago officials from the Derbyshire Primary Care Trust were telling me of their intention to use art and artists more in creating healing environments in our hospitals and elsewhere.

Art can be painted, drawn, created, performed or written. It allows us to express our hidden selves. I don't mean that in any airy fairy way. The arts are potent tools of communication, especially when reading and writing is difficult. It is a fact that people with advanced dementia can enjoy music long after speech has lost its meaning.

But the arts are important in their own right, too: everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy being creative and to learn to appreciate excellence.

So how nice it was to enjoy some truly public services this week. We really were celebrating the positive qualities of our lives rather than the depressing quantities, costs and reasons why not.