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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 protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.

He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his new release the album was named the outstanding release of the past year.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Some locations were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to good deeds.

When Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Cocker announced that the group would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist shared her prize between several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

Also 1994 winners the group gave their award to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."

Last week, the trust revealed it had saved two grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.