During the Otago Farmers Market at the Dunedin Railway Station the former employees can be found in the factory’s former carpark raising money for Gumboot Friday, Life Matters, and other charities by asking for a donation from people who park there.
Last weekend, it was official, they had reached the magic number of $100,000.
Former Cadbury employee and mental health advocate Megan Fairley said she was just happy to help save lives with the money raised.
"When you lift others, you rise as well ... that's what's helping keeping people like me going — that carpark."
After leaving Cadbury many former employees noticed a trend of rampant workplace bullying in some of their subsequent jobs.
They had lost former coworkers to suicide following the closure of the factory, and many others were left suffering.
As a result, in 2020, the group decided to raise awareness of the connection between redundancy and mental illness, and raise money for mental health.
"I think people would expect you to be like really excited to reach $100,000, but I don't. Honestly, I feel a little bit numb," Ms Fairley said.
"I don't think people realise it but depression sucks a bit of your life out of you, because you've been in survival mode for so long."
She said after all the nasty experiences many had gone through, they decided they did not want the world to be like that any more.
"We decided we were going to do something to help people instead of cutting people down."
Hitting their recent milestone was a community effort.
They had regulars who filed through every weekend to donate, people who did not even park in the carpark came to give money, and a few tourists who filtered through Dunedin every once and a while would remember them even a year later.
She said everyone struggled and bullying was taught by other bullies. She hoped the world could become a "friendlier place" and she was happy to do her part.
"If any businesses in Dunedin that are against bullying would like to donate and help match your support, get in contact with us, because we need to change the whole workplace culture within New Zealand," she said.
Raising $100,000 would not stop their efforts. Ms Fairley and her former coworkers would continue to be at the carpark every weekend "until we’re told we can’t any more".
