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The artist has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's grassroots music venues.

Fender was given the award on October 16 as his new release his work was named the top album of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation assisted spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The notion that money from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to give his award funds to worthy causes.

Back when Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would give their cash to the organization War Child.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite split her bounty across several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, they contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.