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The artist has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's small live music spots.

The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues stemming from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.

"The concept that money from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.

The musician is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.

In they won the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their prize money to the organization War Child.

In 2002, musician she shared her bounty among multiple organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the disease.

"The victory was ample," stated singer the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory affected the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.