Highgate’s Lauderdale House hosted a special Indian festival workshop for children this week which celebrated the relationship between brothers and sisters.

As part of Raksha Bandhan festival, the girls made bracelets called rakhis and tied them on the wrists of their brothers to represent a lifelong pledge of protection.

In return the boys gave gifts to their sisters, which showed appreciation and said that would always provide for her. The children also made cards for one another and for absent brothers, sisters and cousins.

The event was organised by volunteer Anjali Khambhaita, 23.

“The children thoroughly enjoyed it and the parents said they really appreciated what we did because it helps to teach them about their culture,” she said. “It’s also nice to open up local people to lots of different cultures.”

The venue in Waterlow Park also hosts events to celebrate Chinese New Year but is keen to run more diverse cultural events in the future.