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Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his third album the album was named the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.

"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces received financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and fans.

"The idea that money from shows in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.

When Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite split her prize between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she shared with the media.

In recent years, they gave their prize money to the community center that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also 1994 winners the group gave their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"Receiving the award was ample," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT shared it had saved two local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the properties.