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The star has given the entirety of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the Britain's independent live music spots.

Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.

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

In they received the prize in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her award across a few good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," she shared with a publication.

Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two local spots in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who buy "shares" in the buildings.