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The star has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which operates to preserve the UK's independent music venues.

He was given the award on 16 October as his new release the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The idea that money from performances in big venues backs the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.

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

When they received the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.

That year, artist she shared her bounty between a few charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," the artist shared with the media.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their act, in addition to other local music groups.

And winners that year M People contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success affected another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The first in Southampton and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.