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Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k honor winnings to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his latest record his work was named the best record of the past year.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his beginning days.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across the UK.

These funds supported locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his award funds to good deeds.

When Pulp received the prize in 1996 for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, musician she divided her bounty across several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she shared with a publication.

Two years ago, they donated their funds to the local youth club that supported their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in that area and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.