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Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his third album the album was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight local spots across the UK.

The donation assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in improving facilities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The notion that funds from concerts in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.

Back when the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their prize money to the charity the charity.

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

"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.

Previously, the band contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally winners that year the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched another person's life."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved two small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in the city and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.