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The star has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.

He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation supported venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that helped artists and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

He is far from the only musician to give his award funds to worthy causes.

When the band received the award in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman the singer declared that the band would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize across multiple organizations, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that developed their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners they gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning touched somebody else's life."

Recently, the MVT announced it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.