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The artist has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

The star was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the previous year.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

The money assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.

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

He is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.

Back when the band earned the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would give their cash to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist shared her bounty among several organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, in addition to other local music groups.

Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning affected another person's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had protected a couple of local spots in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The first in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the buildings.