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The star has given the full amount of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.

Fender was presented with the prize on October 16 as his third album the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.

"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.

Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

The musician is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.

Back when they earned the prize in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist split her award across several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she told outlets.

In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.

Additionally winners that year they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.

One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "shares" in the buildings.