The family of a Sittingbourne history buff have launched a prize scheme in his memory to encourage primary school pupils to learn more about their heritage.

Anthony Buckingham, who lived in Park Road for 50 years, died three years ago, aged 93.

He had long championed learning about the town’s past. He was responsible for the wording on the blue plaques around the High Street, wrote the first Sittingbourne Town Trail, ran evening classes on local architecture, and was a volunteer at Milton Regis’s Old Courthouse.

Now the Anthony Buckingham Memorial prize has been established to encourage children to find out more about Sittingbourne. A first prize of £400 and a second prize of £200 will be awarded to the two classes who produce the best project.

It has been launched by Mr Buckingham’s daughter, Christina Davis, together with the Sittingbourne Heritage Museum.

The 50-year-old mum said: “I began to wonder about doing something in his memory last year. I went on a walk around some of the new housing around Sittingbourne near the station on the old brickfields and realised that the people moving in probably had no connection to the town at all.

“It seemed to me there was a chance to make that connection for people through their children, and that was when I thought to do it in his name.”

The judging panel will consist of Mr Buckingham’s relatives, members of Sittingbourne Heritage Museum and a Swale council representative.

Projects can be made up of written work, pictures, historic investigation or any other inventive way to impart some area of local knowledge.

Christina Davis explained: “There are so many parts to Sittingbourne’s past to choose from – pilgrims, Romans, kings and queens among many others have all left some traces on the town. And we have had so many industries based here too from barges to bricks. Children can interview elderly relatives, use old maps and photographs or just do a lot of imagining. The possibilities are truly endless. I am very excited to see what gets entered and I think my father would have loved it.”

Allen Whitnell, chairman of Sittingbourne Heritage Museum commented: “One of our aims has always been to encourage children to take an interest in the history of their area. This competition is perfectly designed to achieve that”.

Cllr Mike Baldock, deputy leader at Swale Borough Council added: “This is a really exciting scheme. Our heritage is part of what makes us and our communities what we are, and learning about that heritage helps us ground ourselves ever more closely to the places we grow up in. Young people are our future, and when our future embraces our past we enrich our present, and as we enrich ourselves, we enrich the communities we live in.”

The deadline for entries is April 22.