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The star has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The donation helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to issues caused by flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped artists and audiences.

"The concept that funds from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

The musician is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer the singer announced that the band would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to outlets.

In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Winning was sufficient," stated artist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."

Last week, the trust revealed it had saved two grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.