The service remains

The name will sound the same but a few different letters means a lot.

The Cannons Creek Fanau Centre, which has been operating with the Pacific ‘‘ F’’ since its inception as a service centre in Cannons Creek in 1994, will this week become the Porirua Whanau Centre.

Manager Liz Kelly says there is nothing negative to be insinuated from the name change, just that they wanted to recognise it was a ‘‘ family centre’’.

‘‘‘Fanau’ does not fully represent what we do: a name change was appropriate.’’

Maori Party co-leader and Associate Minister of Housing, Health and Social Development, Tariana Turia, will unveil the new logo and name later this week.

Minister of Education Hekia Parata will open the revamped and upgraded childcare centre at the end of the month.

‘‘This [name change] has been in the works for a while and the board and our community council are unanimously in favour,’’ Ms Kelly says.

‘‘The community council is an advisory body and has eight Pacific members and they were very supportive. There may be a few people in Cannons Creek who see the name difference in a negative light . . . but our philosophy and what we’re doing here stays the same.’’

Ms Kelly says the name change recognises their clients come from right across the city and any future plans – such as entering the social housing market – could occur outside Cannons Creek.