Church of England National Emergency Fund

The Church of England National Emergency Fund, known as CENEF, was a volunteer organisation within the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia.

Less than three weeks after Australia declared war on 3/9/39, Archbishop Howard Mowll was already announcing that the Diocesan Standing Committee had agreed to raise funds for 'refreshments and reading rooms' in camps, but also in the Cathedral grounds. By the end of October the Cathedral shed was operational, and the performance of this task was put under the Church of England National Emergency Fund. At the same time his wife, Dorothy Mowll, started the Sydney Diocesan Churchwomen's Association (SDCA) to act as an auxiliary to CENEF - to supply volunteers, raise funds and make ‘comforts’. Mrs Mowll was president of both.

Within the first month of war being declared, Archbishop Mowll had set out the principles of CENEF: 'a special fund to provide, among other things, the stipends of military chaplains appointed for camp work and the cost of erecting and maintaining Church of England halls, refreshment and reading rooms at the larger camps, and one within the Cathedral grounds'.

This story from Manly illustrates the problem. When the congregation came out from the Christmas Day service they found soldiers shaving using the garden taps. They’d received leave, but lived too far from Sydney to go home, and couldn't find accommodation.

Once the problem was recognised multiple groups got involved. By Christmas 1943 there was a total of over 2,000 hostel beds available in Sydney.