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The star has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release his work was declared the top album of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

He also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation supported locations that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues received monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

The musician is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.

Back when they received the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman the singer announced that the band would donate their cash to the organization the charity.

During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her prize between a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

Previously, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," remarked artist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust announced it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in that area and the other in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the properties.