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Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

The star was presented with the award on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.

Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous local spots across the UK.

The donation supported locations that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues received funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to give his award winnings to good deeds.

In they received the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite split her bounty among several organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she explained to a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year they donated their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."

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

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who buy "stakes" in the venues.