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The artist has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

The star was given the prize on mid-October as his new release his work was named the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds supported spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Other venues obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.

When Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer the singer announced that the group would donate their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer she divided her prize across several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by a national body and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.