When Dan Dafydd, a grocer on Sanday, one of the Orkney Islands, mistakenly ordered 80 cases of Easter eggs instead of 80 individual eggs, he turned a potential problem into a successful charity event. With 720 eggs on hand for an island of only 500 residents, Dafydd decided to raffle off groups of 100 eggs to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which provides coastal rescue services around the British Isles.
The raffle proved to be very popular, raising £3,000 on Sanday. Ironically, Dafydd even had to order more eggs due to the high demand1. According to Dafydd, “We actually took a delivery of eggs yesterday because we ran out. We needed to buy more in the end. People have wanted them signed and all sorts”. Dafydd told the BBC that he was initially embarrassed by the mistake4.
The story gained international attention, with people from as far away as Singapore sending letters of support. Nestlé, the manufacturer of many of the eggs, offered to match donations to the RNLI up to £10,000, aiming to raise £20,000 by Easter Sunday. Beth Lucas, Marketing Director for Confectionery at Nestlé UK & Ireland, stated, “It’s incredible to see how a simple mistake can turn into an opportunity to make a positive impact”