My name is Pete Egerton, many of you visiting this page will fondly remember my dad, Stephen Egerton. He was at the heart of so many parts of our community — a local businessman for over 20 years, a devoted family man, and a loyal friend to many. Wherever he went, he built lasting friendships and left a positive mark.

In July 2015, despite being fit and active, Dad was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal bowel cancer. He faced it with incredible courage, but sadly passed away in January 2017 at just 58 years old.

Stephen was a proud member of Hollies Tennis Club for over a decade and introduced me to the sport I now love. In 2016, during his illness, he helped organise a 24-hour Tennisathon in support of Cancer Research UK. Together, we raised over £13,000 — a landmark moment for the club.

Since then, we’ve continued fundraising each year in his memory through the Steve Egerton Mixed Doubles Tournament.

This year marks 10 years since the Tennisathon he helped organise and we wanted to do something special.

From 9am on Saturday 20th June to 9am on Sunday 21st June, we’ll once again be hosting a 24-hour festival of tennis, fun and community spirit — bringing people together to raise as much as we can for Cancer Research UK.

Supporting Two Life-Saving Causes

Alongside Cancer Research UK, this year we are also proudly supporting DKMS — a charity that means a great deal to our tennis community.

Paula, one of our Tennisathon team, is living with a life-limiting blood cancer called myelofibrosis. A stem cell transplant is currently her only potential cure. Despite repeated searches of worldwide donor registers over the past three years, no match has yet been found.

Every year in the UK, over 2,000 people need a stem cell transplant. Yet only around 7% of the eligible population is registered as a donor.

A single person choosing to register can be the difference between life and death.

We have seen the impact a donor can have. A close family friend once received a transplant from a complete stranger on the other side of the world — a perfect match who gave him not just survival, but decades more life with his family.

That is the power of registration. That is the power of generosity.

Funds raised will:

Support groundbreaking cancer research.

Help DKMS register more potential stem cell donors.

Give patients and families hope when they need it most.

On Saturday 20th June, we will also host a DKMS Donor Drive at the club. If you are aged 16–55 and in good health, you can register on the day. The process is simple, quick and painless — but it could one day save a life.

How You Can Help

Whether you:

Make a donation

Register as a stem cell donor

Share this page

Or come down and support the event

You are making a real difference.

Cancer touches far too many families. Together, we can honour Stephen’s legacy, support Paula and others like her, and help create more second chances.

If you’re able to give, please do.

If you’re able to register, please consider it.

If you’re able to share, please help us spread the word.

Let’s make this our biggest and most impactful year yet.

Thank you so much for your support.

Pete, Paula & The Hollies Tennisathon Team