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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the Britain's grassroots music venues.

The star was presented with the award on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the best record of the previous year.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages had in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.

Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds helped venues that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.

"The idea that funds from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

He is among several artists to give his award prize money to good deeds.

Back when they won the award in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the non-profit the charity.

That year, musician the artist split her prize among a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."

Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the buildings.