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The artist has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

He was given the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was declared the best record of the past year.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.

The donation supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that helped artists and audiences.

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

The musician is among several artists to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.

When Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Cocker declared that the band would contribute their prize money to the charity the charity.

In 2002, musician the artist shared her bounty among multiple good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," she shared with a publication.

In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the community center that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"Winning was ample," stated singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."

Recently, the trust announced it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

The first in the city and the other in the city were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.