Can't get text from a JTextField to save to a database

I'm new to Java and have been given a project to create a form using swing and to save and call up the data inputed. I have currently created my interface and have created a database using SQLite which I have statements which work for inputting, viewing, updating and deleting records. But when I try and get text from a textfield I get a null pointer exception or I have gotten my statement for grabbing the data as a record. The first bit of code is my statement for saving the data and the second bit is where I create my text field, if you need any more code just let me know. Thanks

if (action.equals("Save")){
        Connection c = null;
        Statement stmt = null;
        try {
         Class.forName("org.sqlite.JDBC");
         c = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:sqlite:enquiries.db");
         c.setAutoCommit(false);
         System.out.println("Opened database successfully");

         stmt = c.createStatement();
         String FORENAME = tf1.getText();
         String sql = "INSERT INTO ENQUIRIES (FORENAME,SURNAME,ADDRESSLINE1,ADDRESSLINE2,TOWN,COUNTY,OUTWARDCODE,INWARDCODE,TYPEOFPHONE,PHONENUMBER,JOBWANTEDDOING,HASTHECLIENTUSEDAABEFORE,WHEREDIDTHECLIENTHEARABOUTAA,HASTHECLIENTBOOKED,WHYDIDTHECLIENTNOTBOOK,DATEBOOKED,MANHOURSNEEDED,NOOFSTAFF) " +
               "VALUES ('+ tf1.getText() +', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', '','', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', ''  );"; 
               stmt.executeUpdate(sql);

               stmt.close();
               c.commit();
               c.close();
            } catch ( Exception e ) {
                System.err.println( e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getMessage() );
                System.exit(0);
            }
    } 

JPanel namePanel = new JPanel();
    namePanel.setLayout (new GridLayout(1,2));
    JTextField tf1=new JTextField(20);
    tf1.setText("Forename");
    JTextField tf2=new JTextField(20);
    tf2.setText("Surname");
    namePanel.add(tf1);
    namePanel.add(tf2);