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Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.

He was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

He also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

The money assisted locations that were facing imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in improving amenities and gear that helped performers and fans.

"The concept that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.

Back when Pulp received the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman the singer announced that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist she shared her award between a few organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she explained to outlets.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by a national body and music fans who purchase "shares" in the properties.