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

The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

These funds assisted spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

He is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

When Pulp earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman Cocker announced that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, musician she shared her award among multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners they gave their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the condition.

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

In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.