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The artist has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's small live music spots.

He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots played in his beginning days.

"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.

The donation helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations were granted funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The notion that money from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.

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

In Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her award between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with the media.

Previously, they donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.

Also winners that year the group contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

The first in that area and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.