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The star has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the UK's independent live music spots.

The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.

The money helped spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges arising from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.

In the band earned the award in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer the singer declared that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist she split her prize between several good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist told a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Also winners that year they gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in the city and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the properties.