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Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.

The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release the album was declared the best record of the previous year.

He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds supported spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.

"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

Back when the band received the award in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her award between multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.

And 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted another person's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The first in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the venues.