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The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor prize money to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's grassroots concert spaces.

He was given the award on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

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

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous small stages across Britain.

The money supported locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and concertgoers.

"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.

In Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity the charity.

During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.

Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

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

The first in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.