A HAWORTH couple and their pet dog are the new faces of a building society.

Jamie Cooper and Gary Swallow – with seven-year-old Charlie – are featuring in a Yorkshire Building Society advertising campaign.

They are appearing in adverts online, in the press and at branches – including their own branch at Low Street, Keighley.

The couple are sharing their story about the importance of saving and how it is helping them to achieve their financial goals and dreams.

As well as having a savings account for holidays, Gary and Jamie – who have been members of the society for more than 20 years – also have a fund for Charlie to help cover any veterinary costs.

Gary said: “At our branch they’ve always been helpful and willing to give guidance – they don’t pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do. They’re a breath of fresh air. They know that we’re savers and that we want to get the best interest – and Charlie likes to save as well!

“They’re just like friends. One of the ladies who worked there used to live up the road from us. We talk about stuff generally, especially Charlie. There was a manager there that used to make a beeline for Charlie and always used to say ‘if Charlie comes in, let us know’. He had a Cavalier King Charles himself and talked about the shampoo he used to use! There is that personal contact, which has been good. Even through the pandemic staff have been great. They’ve kept us on board with all the information we’ve needed.

“Charlie is the star of the show though. He’s a Yorkshire dog when you talk about money!”

Mark Brayton, director of marketing and digital channels for Yorkshire Building Society, said he was delighted at the choice of the couple ­– and Charlie – to front the campaign.

He added: “As a mutual organisation, our members are our priority.

“For us, it’s about helping them to achieve their personal goals – whether that’s buying their first home, passing on good savings habits to their children, getting married or saving for life’s unexpected emergencies.

“Our goal is helping real-life happen for our members – and that’s why we made them the stars of this campaign.

“We hope people love hearing Jamie, Gary and Charlie’s story as much as we did.”

The society’s roots date back to 1864, when the then Huddersfield Equitable Permanent Benefit Building Society was established.

The Yorkshire Building Society name was ‘born’ in 1982, following the merger of the Huddersfield & Bradford and West Yorkshire building societies.

By 2001, it had become the third-largest mutual in Britain – with assets of over £11 billion.

The society’s headquarters are in Bradford.