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The artist has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's independent concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was declared the best record of the past year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

He also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that positively impacted performers and audiences.

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

He is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.

Back when Pulp earned the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer the singer stated that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist shared with the media.

In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other local music groups.

And winners that year the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

The first in that area and the other in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the venues.