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The star has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his new release People Watching was declared the best record of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation helped locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and audiences.

"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

Fender is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to good deeds.

In they won the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, vocalist the singer declared that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award between multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Previously, the band gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

Recently, the trust announced it had protected several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

The first in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the venues.