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Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's small live music spots.

He was given the award on 16 October as his new release his work was declared the best record of the previous year.

He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also took part, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that helped musicians and fans.

"The concept that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

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

When the band received the prize in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her award between a few good causes, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in the city and the other in the city were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the venues.