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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.

The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was named the top album of the previous year.

He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.

Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

These funds helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations were granted monetary aid in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.

Back when they received the prize in 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist split her award between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," the artist told outlets.

Previously, the band gave their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners the group donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"The victory was quite enough," said artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The first in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the properties.