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The artist has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's small live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

He also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.

These funds assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues received financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and concertgoers.

"The notion that money from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

When Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her prize across a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.

Previously, the band gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our success impacted another person's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had rescued several local spots in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.