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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small live music spots.

Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots had in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Some locations were granted funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The notion that money from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

He is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

In they won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman the singer declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her bounty among a few good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.

Previously, they contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the illness.

"The victory was ample," stated singer the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued several local spots in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.

One venue in the city and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.