The artist gives his £25k prize Mercury Prize to independent concert halls

The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.

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

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation helped spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.

"The concept that funds from shows in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

The musician is among several artists to give his honor funds to good deeds.

In the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize between several good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.

And the 1994 recipients M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.

"The victory was ample," stated singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."

Last week, the trust announced it had rescued a couple of local spots in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in the city and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the properties.