COLES executive across the West pulled on the gloves and got to work on Footscray Park on Sunday as part of Clean Up Australia Day. More than 20 Coles store and regional managers picked up rubbish for four hours along the Maribyrnong riverbank and then made their way to the Footscray Town Hall for a barbecue with Maribyrnong City Council staff, who hosted their own Clean Up event. Coles regional manager Steve Mazzeo told Star it was the first time Coles had been involved in Clean Up Australia Day activities. “I’ve got them out of the office for the day,” he laughed. Mr Mazzeo said Coles staff recently cleaned up a park in Maryborough that was affected by the floods last year. The supermarket chain makes a point of helping out in the community every six months. In the past 20 years, Australians have devoted more than 24 million hours towards the environment through Clean Up Australia Day and collected more than 200,000 tonnes of rubbish. 78055 Picture: DAMIAN VISENTINI