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Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.

He was given the award on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the past year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

He also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in modernizing facilities and gear that helped performers and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

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

In the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist the singer announced that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.

In 2002, musician the artist divided her award between a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," she told a publication.

Previously, the band contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

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

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.