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The star has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

He was given the award on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.

The donation supported locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The notion that revenue from performances in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.

In the band received the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize across multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she told outlets.

Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT announced it had rescued several local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in that area and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.