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The star has donated the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the MVT, which works to save the UK's small live music spots.

The star was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the top album of the past year.

He has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.

The money helped locations that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing amenities and gear that helped performers and fans.

"The idea that money from shows in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

He is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

In they won the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the charity the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer she split her prize across several charities, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Previously, the band gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "shares" in the venues.