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Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's small live music spots.

He was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the previous year.

He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

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

Over the past year, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.

Additional spaces received monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.

The musician is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

In Pulp received the trophy in the mid-90s for their album their work, vocalist the singer announced that the band would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize among a few organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," she explained to the media.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT revealed it had saved several small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.