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Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was named the best record of the past year.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

The money supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

In they received the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman the singer announced that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer she divided her bounty across a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.

In recent years, they donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was ample," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The first in the city and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the properties.