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The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the MVT, which works to protect the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.

He was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the past year.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots played in his early career.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

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

Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces received funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.

In Pulp received the prize in the year 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize between multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," the artist told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in that area and the second in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the properties.