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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.

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

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots played in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and gear that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The notion that revenue from shows in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.

When Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their record their work, frontman the singer declared that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

In 2002, musician she split her award across several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," she explained to outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients M People donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"The victory was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.