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The star has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

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

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

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues received funding support in improving amenities and gear that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.

The musician is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.

When the band won the award in 1996 for their release the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize between multiple good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she shared with the media.

In recent years, they gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And winners that year M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had saved two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in the city and the second in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.