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The star has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

The star was given the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.

"The idea that money from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to charitable organizations.

When Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her prize among multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," she told outlets.

Previously, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," stated singer the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

Last week, the trust shared it had saved several small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.