TOTALLY Tennis was the host venue for The Pink Place Charity tennis tournament, which took place in the same week as the Basingstoke-based charity celebrated its first birthday.

Sixteen ladies donned something pink and competed in the doubles event that was divided into two boxes in the initial stages.

Box one winners were Catherine Perkins and partner Charlotte Whittle who defeated Maggie Barnard and Arlette Quinn 4-1, Sandra Harding and Denise Palmer 4-2 and sisters Emma Barnes and Meryl Patterson 4-2.

The runners-up were Barnes and Paterson, Harding and Palmer were third and Barnard and Quinn were fourth.

Helen Osgerby and Leahney Goldsworthy were box two winners beating Clare Checketts and Karen Hoare 4-2, Grace Leong and Totally Tennis’s Emily Clark 4-3 and Mandy Coleman & Sarah Lawes 4-2.

Leong and Clark were runners-up beating Checketts and Hoare 4-1 and Coleman and Lawes 4-2.

In third place were Checketts and Hoare who beat Coleman and Lawes 4-2.

The winners and runners-up from both boxes went through to the semi-final stages with Leong/Clark defeating Perkins/Whittle 4-2 and Barnes/Patterson beating Osgerby/Goldsworthy also 4-2.

Barnes and Paterson were the overall winners of the event beating Leong and Clark in the final 4-1.

The tournament was followed by a lunch prepared by Clark and the competitors were also able to browse the three stalls of Daisychain Accessories, Forever Living products and Sweaty Betty clothes. Overall the event raised over £150 for the charity.

Julia Dingwall, whose two sons Nick and Andrew have been playing at Totally Tennis for 10 and seven years respectively and co-founded The Pink Place with her friend Janis Taylor in January 2010, after suffering from the disease herself.

They opened for business in the September of the same year, welcoming their first guests and have never looked back.

The Pink Place charity aims to assist the well being of those who have experienced or are experiencing breast cancer in Basingstoke and Deane, with the support of the breast unit at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust.

It is centrally located in the town at Taylor's Hair and Beauty Salon in Wote Street.

The facility offers a range of free services including complementary therapies, nutritional advice, hair services and advice, beauty (nail and skin care) and counselling Dingwall said: “This wonderful charity helps ladies who are coping with breast cancer. It is so rewarding when our guests say how much it helps them relax and make new friends - it is nice when they feel they can drop in for a coffee to chat.”

“It is great that Totally Tennis were able to organise the ladies tournament and support our charity, all the ladies had a great time and it’s important for The Pink Place to create awareness about our charity.”

Clark said: “The ladies tennis tournament was a lot of fun but most importantly the day raised awareness of the Pink Place and what it offers for those with breast cancer in Basingstoke and Deane."

“We are always happy to be involved in charity events and show our support for local good causes.”

For more information about The Pink Place visit their website thepinkplace.org.uk or telephone 07899 970841 or e-mail them on info@thepinkplace.org.uk