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

He was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces received financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and audiences.

"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to good deeds.

When they earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, frontman Cocker stated that the act would donate their cash to the charity the charity.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had saved several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.