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The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.

He was presented with the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the past year.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty among a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," she told the media.

Previously, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And winners that year the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to local control.

One venue in the city and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the venues.