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The star has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's small concert spaces.

He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release his work was named the top album of the previous year.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.

Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

These funds assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to donate his award prize money to worthy causes.

When the band earned the prize in 1996 for their release the album, frontman Cocker stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.

In 2002, artist the artist split her award among a few good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.

Also winners that year they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.