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The artist has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the MVT, which works to protect the UK's independent live music spots.

Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots played in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.

He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from performances in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

Fender is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to worthy causes.

In Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Cocker declared that the act would give their cash to the charity War Child.

In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite split her prize across several good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

In recent years, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that supported their act, alongside other local music groups.

And the 1994 recipients the group contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Winning was ample," remarked singer Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."

Last week, the trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to local control.

The first in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.