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Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.

He was given the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped venues that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

The musician is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.

Back when they earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer Cocker declared that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist divided her award between several organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist told the media.

Previously, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the MVT shared it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The first in Southampton and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the venues.