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The artist has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which works to protect the Britain's small music venues.

He was given the prize on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the top album of the past year.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The concept that money from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.

Back when the band won the trophy in 1996 for their release the album, frontman the singer announced that the band would give their prize money to the charity the charity.

During 2002, musician she divided her prize between several good causes, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.

Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

Additionally winners that year M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had rescued two local spots in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.