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The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.

He was presented with the award on mid-October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money supported spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations received funding support in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

He is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.

Back when Pulp won the trophy in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their cash to the organization the charity.

In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite shared her prize between a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," she shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band donated their prize money to the community center that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," said singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved a couple of small stages in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The Joiners in the city and the other in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.