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The artist has given the complete sum of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous local spots across the UK.

These funds helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and audiences.

"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has said.

The musician is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

In the band received the prize in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award between a few good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Previously, they gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.

And winners that year they donated their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The first in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.