Social animal

The service, started by volunteering website do-it.org.uk and online dating agency ivorytowers.net, sends the happy couple on a volunteering assignment instead of a conventional date.

The service's first pair of lovebirds created a children's playground in a Brixton housing estate. Other romantic destinations could include Notting Hill Housing Trust, Paddington Churches or St Mungo's, who all take Do-It volunteers.

Do-It Dating will appear on ITV's That's Esther, when Sheryl Gascoigne, the ex-wife of footballer Gazza and who works for several domestic violence charities, searches for a new man.

The largesse of Chairman Mo
Crisis and Shelter now have a new ally in their quest to reduce the number of rough sleepers – the unlikely figure of Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed. On his website www.alfayed.com, the self-styled Chairman Mo has pledged to stalk the streets of London at night handing out blankets and warm clothing to those less fortunate than himself. I trust that Al Fayed would not scrimp on such a noble cause – will the homeless of Knightsbridge shortly be seen tucking into Harrods hampers stuffed with goodies such as hare and green peppercorn paté and Premier Cru?

You scratch my back …
Having failed to gain the Labour nomination for the next London mayoral election, it has emerged that Ken Livingstone is to face none other than his deputy Nicky Gavron for the throne in City Hall.

Could it be that Ken has made an early move to get his press officers on side by giving them all hefty pay rises last week?

Or is it simply that Ken has now realised the value of those who toil in the media after his stint last week as guest editor of Housing Today ?

Pointy bra, pointless opinions
She may have gained global fame telling her papa to stop preaching to her, but it seems that the years and motherhood have proven Madonna has taken after her father after all.

Following her comments last year about the standard of builders in the UK, the material girl has turned her ire against British social housing. Her derisory comments in Vanity Fair magazine about the poor quality of council housing in London have prompted Greenwich council to invite the singer to come and see for herself the high quality of social housing in the borough.

Tenant Maureen Johnson said: "How would she feel if she was homeless and had nowhere to go? In Greenwich the housing looks very good. She's got more money than common sense." A happy tenant? Surely music to the council's ears.