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The star has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

The star was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and gear that helped musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is not the first artist to give his award winnings to good deeds.

Back when they received the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the group would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, musician the artist divided her award among a few charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

The first in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.