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The artist has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the past year.

The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.

The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

Back when they won the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty among a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," the artist told the media.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year M People gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched another person's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected several local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.