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The star has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.

He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots had in his beginning days.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I played around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

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

The money helped locations that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that helped artists and fans.

"The idea that money from shows in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

He is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.

Back when the band earned the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer the singer declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization the charity.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her award across multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist told outlets.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year they gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory touched another person's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had saved a couple of local spots in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.