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The artist has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 award winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the top album of the past year.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The donation helped locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

The musician is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

In they won the award in the mid-90s for their album the album, vocalist the singer announced that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

That year, musician she shared her award between multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.

In recent years, the band gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients M People gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.

"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The first in that area and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.