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The artist has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's small live music spots.

The star was given the award on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces received funding support in improving facilities and gear that helped artists and audiences.

"The concept that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

Fender is not the first artist to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.

When they earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release the album, lead singer the singer stated that the band would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize among several good causes, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," the artist explained to outlets.

In recent years, the band contributed their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year they gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had protected two small stages in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.