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Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.

The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album the album was named the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.

The donation assisted venues that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained funding support in modernizing facilities and gear that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

Back when Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their winnings to the organization War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist divided her bounty among several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

In recent years, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients they donated their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had rescued two local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

The first in the city and the second in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by a national body and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.