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The star has given the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the past year.

He has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces received financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.

When they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize between a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.

Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients M People donated their award to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust announced it had saved several small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.