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The artist has given the entirety of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the UK's independent live music spots.

Fender was presented with the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was named the best record of the past year.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.

Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds assisted locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and gear that helped musicians and audiences.

"The concept that money from shows in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

Back when they won the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the band would contribute their cash to the organization the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her award between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," she told a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning touched another person's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected two small stages in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The first in the city and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.