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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

The star was awarded the prize on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

These funds helped spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.

He is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band earned the prize in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would give their cash to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist she split her prize among multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she told a publication.

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

Also winners that year the group gave their award to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the condition.

"Receiving the award was ample," said vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."

Recently, the MVT shared it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the buildings.