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Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The concept that money from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

Fender is not the first artist to contribute his award winnings to good deeds.

When Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, lead singer the singer announced that the group would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her prize across multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.

And winners that year the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," said singer the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT revealed it had protected several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The first in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.