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Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which works to preserve the Britain's small music venues.

The star was given the award on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the top album of the previous year.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues had in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across Britain.

The money assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in modernizing facilities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.

The musician is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to good deeds.

In they earned the award in the year 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the disease.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the buildings.