The annual celebration of creating with code is nearly upon us! Code Week is set to kick off on the 7th of October and runs through to the 22nd. If you’re in the North East and interested in getting involved with the festivities, we’ve got some events you might be interested in! Jump to the bottom of the page to see what’s going on and how to get involved.
But what is code?
Code is a set of instructions interpreted by a computer, akin to that of a recipe. Almost everything that relies on electricity relies on code. From your microwave to your car, your phone to your alarm clock, making it essential in the modern world.
Computers work in binary code (a string of 1s and 0s) which is extremely hard for humans to understand efficiently. In order to make this process easier, coders learn programming languages (C+, Python and Java to name a few) that translate our instructions in to binary.
In the digital age, there’s a greater demand for coders than ever before, making it a pretty lucrative career path to follow! That’s not to say that entering the world of coding is purely done to get in to the workplace; many coders build apps and websites as hobbies, something which can be easily done with even a basic grasp of a coding language.

E-Day Maker and Raspberry Jam Event
What? “eDay is packed full of activities for you to explore, create and engage with makers; take part in workshops and hands on activities.
Our programme already includes: Makerspace, Raspberry Pi hacks robotics, Minecraft, MicrosoftMR, Quadcopter racing and that’s just for starters.”
Where? Gateshead Library
When? 7/10/17 10am – 3pm
What? “The Programming session is a comprehensive introduction to programming, and educators will have the chance to apply their understanding of programming concepts through projects, using Scratch as the programming language.
We will explore variables, debugging and iterative development by creating an interactive chat bot. The session will also allow you to familiarize yourself with a delivery unit from Code Club and make you confident to deliver this to young people.”
Where? 44 Market Pl, South Shields
When? 12/10/17 4pm – 5pm
What? “Celebrate Code Week with us – whatever your age, have a go at coding and create something fun!
We’re still working on what project we will be creating together during this session, but we can already tell you two things: it will likely use micro:bits AND we are trying to find space for it to be displayed at the City Library until the following Sunday… More details nearer the time!”
Where? Newcastle City Library
When? 15/10/17 1:30pm – 3pm
For more information about Code Week, events and how to participate, head on over to their website!