Recently an eighteen year old Sussex lad called Scott Moyse stumbled across a delightful computer glitch on the Thornton's chocolates website. Essentially, boxes of chocolates that should have cost a few pounds each were listed at only one penny per item. Quickly, Scott clicked in an order for four hundred boxes. With postage and packing the total bill came to a mere £10.90.
A few days later, four hundred boxes of chocolates were duly delivered to Scott's home in Horsham. Under ordinary circumstances, this purchase should have amounted to more than £1000. Such amazing good fortune for Scott and well done to Thornton's for doing the honourable thing in spite of their website error.
So - what did Scott do with all of those choccies? Surely, he could have earned himself a tidy profit - even if he had sold the chocolate boxes at half their retail price. But did Scott do that? No!
Instead, he dressed up as a chicken, loaded the boxes of chocolates into a shopping trolley and with his mate proceeded to the centre of Horsham where he gave his windfall out to passers-by. He said,“We thought it would make some people happy and it would be more enjoyable than just selling them.”
What a heart-warming story and this in a Sussex town that was recently identified as England's most stressed out place to live. I think they should make Scott Moyse the Mayor of Horsham. Then he could exercise his charitable instincts still further - waiving parking fines, heating old people's homes for free and teaching town councillors and special constables to do "the funky chicken" in their brand new chicken costumes. Scott for Mayor!
This comment has absolutely nothing to do with the content of your post, but it is the absolute truth. As I was typing your blog's name into my search engine, I asked Mrs. RWP, "What are we having for dinner tonight?" (it is 5:00 p.m. here_ and she said, "Chicken." At that exact moment, your blog popped up and the title read, "Chicken" -- at the exact moment she said it, I tell you. Do you think I would I lie about something like that?
ReplyDeleteWe are all interconnected and somewhere the fates are smiling.
That _ should be a )
DeleteThat is so spooky Mr B! Perhaps you could write a reciprocal blogpost entitled "Treasure". As soon as I read it the doorbell will go and there'll be a delivery driver with a casket of gold doubloons just for me!
DeleteIt's good to be reminded that there are still some nice people around. :)
ReplyDeleteYes Jenny - niceness doesn't get much airplay in the news.
DeleteHow lovely and generous all around. From the company that made the mistake (no way would they honor that error over here!) to the lads themselves. Now I just know that at least one or two of the folks that received that small windfall will end up "paying it forward", as we say, and will help someone else in need in some small way. And there, Mr Pudding, is the human payoff!
ReplyDeleteI wish you could sample some lovely Thorntons "Continental" chocolates Madam Thyme.
DeleteI love love love Thorntons chocolates.
ReplyDeleteBTW ~ Sheffield was on the radio quiz last night. I now know it has the highest % of green space per capita of any city in Europe. Over 60% parklands and public spaces.
Shh! The green space thing is a secret. We don't want any Londoners sneaking up here for a look.
DeleteAn uplifting tale. I enjoy good news.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your tail has been uplifted Adrian.
DeleteI had to read this a couple of times. At first I thought it was a spoof but then I thought, YP is too mature to do anything as silly as that.
ReplyDeleteScott Moyse is a young lad destined for great things! I am sure he made the order only out of curiosity never expecting it to be fulfilled and was surprised as heck when it was so good on him, as you point out, for doing the decent thing, What is outstanding was his imagination and creativity,
Good on Thornton's for honouring the deal but if they are upset about it, they should consider how much an organised advertising campaign like that would have cost, I bet there's a lot more people out there thinking. 'Thornton's Chocolates? MMMM, nice!' It would also be interesting to learn how many extra website visits they have had as a result of this story breaking.
I remember Thornton's Chocolates and they were fantastic, I am sure they still are.
Spot the missing semi colon. Sorry Sir!
DeleteHippo - my semi-colon is as healthy as ever. A good dump every morning. Glad you liked the story sir and you are right - what publicity for Thorntons!
DeleteMaybe I'm feeling nit-picky today, but with reference to your next day's post, I'm wondering why this post title wasn't 'Exploitation or Philanthropy'?
ReplyDelete