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The artist has donated the full amount of his £25k honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight local spots across the UK.

The donation supported spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Some locations were granted funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

Back when the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer the singer stated that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist split her award across multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that developed their band, alongside other independent music bodies.

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

"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked vocalist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."

Recently, the trust announced it had protected two grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under local control.

One venue in the city and the second in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.