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The star has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the Britain's independent music venues.

Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.

Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

When Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would give their cash to the organization War Child.

That year, artist she shared her bounty between multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she told a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that supported their act, in addition to other local music groups.

Also winners that year they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."

Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.