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The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's small live music spots.

Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the best record of the previous year.

The musician has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation assisted spaces that were confronting possible closure due to issues caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

He is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

In Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their cash to the charity the charity.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite split her award across several charities, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," she told outlets.

Previously, the band gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Also winners that year the group donated their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."

Last week, the MVT shared it had saved several local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and the second in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.