We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.

Marie is a force of nature. As the founder of Breadline London, a grassroots community project in Haringey, she has spent years supporting families with essential services — she’s run a food bank, offered budgeting advice, and hosted well-being workshops. But when she heard about Code Club, she saw another way to help local children: by giving them the skills to shape their futures.

From community support to coding

Marie had no background in tech, but that didn’t stop her. She knew that many families in Tottenham couldn’t afford extracurricular activities like coding classes, and she was determined to change that.

“I’ve wanted a coding club for children, children in Tottenham, because that’s not something that is actually here,” she explains. “Unfortunately for us, we are on the very high end of poverty… and some of our children in this area don’t get the opportunity to attend things like coding club.”

With the support of Haringey Giving and the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Marie launched her Code Club at Tottenham Community Sports Centre. She started from scratch, learning alongside the kids, attending free training at the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s headquarters in Cambridge, and soaking up everything she could about coding.

“I don’t know anything about coding. Nothing. But going to the training days, it was so inspiring. I got so excited thinking, these are the things I can hopefully share with the children.”

Creating a space to experiment

Marie’s club is more than just learning how to code — it’s about teamwork, creativity, and confidence.

“They need to learn these skills outside of a school environment, outside of a place where it’s really structured. I want them to come in, experiment, make things up as they go along. Sometimes they follow instructions, but mostly, they just try things out.”

She also sees her role as a mentor, even if the kids sometimes know more than she does!

“Most of the children know more about coding than I do. So for me, it’s just about encouraging them: ‘What’s next? What else can you add to your project?’ And helping parents understand that they need to let the children create what they want to create, not just steer them.”

Discovering Coolest Projects

Marie’s journey didn’t stop with Code Club. When she learnt about Coolest Projects, a global showcase where kids celebrate what they’ve built with code, she knew she had to take her club to one of the in-person events.

“I was in Cambridge when I first heard about it, and this fabulous young woman spoke about Coolest Projects. I just felt so excited to take the children somewhere that’s just kids, just kids learning about coding and developing these amazing things. I even said, ‘Even if no one from my club comes, I’m going by myself!’”

Taking the kids to Coolest Projects was a game-changer. They saw what was possible, talked to other young coders, and left inspired.

“Next year, when we go again, everybody’s going to have a project. Seeing the kids’ faces when adults wanted to try their projects, it was so exciting for them!”

Making a change

Marie is proof that you don’t need to be a tech expert to start a Code Club — you just need passion and a willingness to learn.

Marie’s message to others who are thinking about setting up a coding club but worry about their lack of experience is simple: 

“Start a [Code Club] because the children will help you to run [it]. They will help you. They will help each other. Don’t get put off running a coding club because you don’t know how to code. Because I don’t[…]and I love it.”

Marie’s story is a testament to what’s possible when someone believes in their community and takes action. She is creating opportunities for young people in Tottenham, giving them a space to learn, collaborate, and dream big regardless of their background. We can’t wait to see what her club achieves next!

For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your community, visit codeclub.org.

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