Since 2017, Code Club Wirral has been sparking curiosity, creativity, and confidence among hundreds of young people on the Wirral in Cheshire. This star club runs every Thursday evening, when Wallasey Library transforms into a bustling hub of discovery and lines of code turn into games, animations, and laughter.

Led by volunteer John, the club welcomes around 15 young people and their parents/carers each week. Though the club advertises for ages 9 to 13, even younger children — some as young as five — have joined in with enthusiasm and help from a parent. 

Over the years, John estimates that around 800 young people have attended the sessions, not including those met through outreach at local MakeFests.

“We’ve seen children grow in skill and confidence, and parents too! Every session brings a new spark of creativity and it’s amazing to see families travel from across the Wirral — sometimes over seven miles — just to join us,” says John.

From parent to leader: How it all began

John’s journey into Code Club started, fittingly, with his own children. “I first took them to a Code Club at Seacombe Library, run by a brilliant team of volunteers,” he recalls. “The projects and resources from Code Club were fantastic; they really clicked with the kids. That’s when I decided to volunteer myself.”

With encouragement from librarian Elaine, and with a group of dedicated volunteers, John launched Code Club Wirral at Wallasey Library in 2017, and it has grown steadily ever since.

“It’s amazing how something as simple as sharing a coding project can open up a whole world of learning and confidence,” John reflects.

Libraries and learning: A perfect partnership

Wirral Libraries have played a key role in Code Club’s success.The partnership has flourished over the years, with libraries providing both the space and the spirit that make the sessions special.

“The libraries serve as vital community hubs,” John explains. “The IT suites are perfect for Code Club, and we’ve built great connections with other clubs, creators, and volunteers through the library network.”

For Emma, one of the librarians at Wallasey Library, Code Club fits seamlessly with the library’s mission:

“It supports our learning and engagement and digital strategies,” she says. “We’re developing skills in a young demographic — building confidence, learning, transferable skills, and employability.”

And it’s not just coding that draws people in. When the club is in session, the atmosphere is bustling and engaged. Young people and parents often end up exploring books, borrowing micro:bits, and signing up for other library competitions and events.

The impact on young people and their families

The impact of Code Club Wirral is felt deeply by those who attend. For Erin, eight, Code Club is a highlight of her week. “It’s fun, chilled and relaxing,” she says proudly. “My first project was Ghostbusters. I was really proud of it. I didn’t think I’d do that well!”

Parents notice the difference, too. Hannah, who brings her son and daughter to Code Club and has been attending for eight weeks, says: “I thought they’d need more help, but they’re doing things I couldn’t do. Watching them solve challenges on their own, it’s fantastic.”

These stories echo what makes Code Club so special: it’s not just about learning to code, but about building resilience, creativity, and independence, and all in a supportive, community-driven environment.

A ripple effect across the Wirral

Since its first session in 2017, Code Club Wirral has done more than teach digital skills;  it’s built a network of collaboration and curiosity that extends far beyond the library walls.

The club’s influence can be felt in the community: from parents discovering their children’s hidden talents, to librarians expanding their digital outreach, to volunteers forming lasting partnerships.

John, the volunteer team and the Wirral Libraries team show how a simple idea like sharing coding with young people can grow into something powerful and lasting.

Want to start your own Code Club?

If you’ve been inspired by Wirral’s Code Club story, visit codeclub.org to learn how you can start a club in your community or library.

Passionate individuals around the world run Code Clubs, but what motivates them?

We spoke to four Code Club mentors from around the world — both long-time leaders and newcomers — to learn why they started Code Clubs and continue to run them in their communities.

Creating a community 

The Code Club community is expanding worldwide! Vipul Rathod, based in Gujarat, India, started his club at a community centre in Jamnagar in 2022. As he explains, he wanted to create a space where everyone could collaborate and learn together:

“As the leader of this Code Club, I’m driven by the chance to spark innovation and create a space where collaboration thrives. It’s exciting to build a dynamic community that’s passionate about technology. Every session sharpens not just my skills, but everyone’s, while also developing leadership abilities. The greatest reward is watching others grow in their coding journeys and embrace the potential of future technologies.”

Opening up possibilities

Bob Bilsland from Malvern, England has been with Code Club since its launch in 2012. He runs three Code Clubs in the area, with one of them — the club at Malvern CofE Primary School, which launched in 2013 — standing as the longest-running club in the world! Bob shares what brings him back to Code Club week in, week out:

“What brings me back week after week is the sharing of what I enjoy doing. It’s so much fun to help others explore this space themselves, to see what they can personally create. I see that giving others the opportunity to explore and familiarise themselves with computing as something that could open up a world of possibilities for them in the future.”

Coding as a creative spark

For Iliana Ramirez in Mexico, Code Club is about more than just teaching young people to code. It’s also about equipping them with new skills so they can thrive in an increasingly digital world and prepare themselves for the future. She points in particular to how Code Club empowers young learners by unlocking their creativity:

“[By running a Code Club] we prepare young people to live in a digital world. They understand that this world is interconnected and we prepare them to think and solve problems. They start to believe they can do things that they thought they couldn’t do before. They find it to be like magic and discover that they can have that power in their hands to create games, and share their stories. That’s what I see, I see them fly.”

Learning flexibly and deeply

Meet Rachael from Stevenage, who’s been a champion of digital technologies for over a decade. She started a Code Club after she and her young son became curious about coding and now continues to inspire learners at the school where it all began. Rachael emphasises the benefits of Code Club’s flexible structure:

“I started running a Code Club when my son was seven and I wanted to learn what this whole programming/coding stuff was about. And I still run a Code Club in the same school where he started! In a lesson, there’s often an end point and they have to stop. Whereas in Code Club, we’re meant to run for an hour, but we rarely stop at the end of the hour. So there’s that ability for them to really stick with something and come back to the same project week after week to develop it.

And, you know, the mistakes, the debugging we learned together. And that was a really powerful process to go through.”

You don’t need to be a coding expert to start a Code Club! It’s a fun and rewarding way to connect with young people and help them learn valuable skills for the future. Visit the Code Club website to learn how you can get involved.