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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.

He was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release his work was named the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots played in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.

The money assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that helped performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his honor prize money to charitable organizations.

In the band won the award in 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, musician the artist divided her award among multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.

Two years ago, they donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally winners that year they contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning affected somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in the city and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the venues.