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Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 honor winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the cheque on 16 October as his new release the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

The money helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from performances in major spaces supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.

In Pulp received the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty among several good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to the media.

In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected two grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in the city and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the buildings.