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The artist has given the entirety of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's small live music spots.

The star was given the award on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.

He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues received funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that helped performers and audiences.

"The concept that money from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.

He is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

Back when they earned the trophy in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty among a few good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the community center that developed their act, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued two small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by a national body and supporters who buy "shares" in the properties.