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The star has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the best record of the previous year.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.

Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The money assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The notion that money from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

When they earned the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the band would donate their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, musician she divided her prize between several good causes, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," she explained to a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.

And the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," remarked singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT announced it had saved two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.