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The artist has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's independent music venues.

Fender was given the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.

"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across Britain.

The money helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped performers and audiences.

"The idea that funds from shows in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

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

When Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, vocalist the singer declared that the group would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.

That year, artist the artist split her award among several organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Previously, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

And winners that year they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Last week, the trust announced it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The first in that area and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.