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Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.

He has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages played in his early career.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The donation assisted venues that were confronting possible closure due to issues stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations obtained funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

The musician is far from the only musician to give his honor winnings to good deeds.

In the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the band would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty across multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," she told the media.

Two years ago, they gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

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