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Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was named the best record of the past year.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.

The donation assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.

"The idea that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.

He is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to charitable organizations.

In the band won the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would give their winnings to the charity the charity.

During 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her prize between a few charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave 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," she told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Also 1994 winners M People contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.

"The victory was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in the city and the second in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.