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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's small music venues.

The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the past year.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

He also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across the UK.

These funds helped spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues arising from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The notion that revenue from shows in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

When Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would give their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, musician the artist shared her bounty between multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.

Two years ago, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the trust revealed it had protected several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.