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Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k award winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's independent music venues.

He was given the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band won the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, vocalist the singer announced that the act would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite divided her prize among multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she shared with a publication.

In recent years, the band donated their funds to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was ample," said artist the singer. "The prize was the bonus 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 announced it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.