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The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

The musician has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."

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

Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and fans.

"The idea that funds from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

Back when Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her prize between several charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she told a publication.

Previously, the band donated their prize money to the youth organization that supported their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.

"Winning was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched another person's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in the city and the other in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the venues.