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Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.

Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.

When Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer the singer announced that the band would give their prize money to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

In recent years, the band contributed their prize money to the community center that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients they contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," said artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of small stages in the South East, by placing them under local control.

The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the buildings.