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The star has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

The musician has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

The money helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Some locations received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from performances in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

He is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.

Back when they received the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, vocalist the singer announced that the group would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty among multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

In recent years, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.

"Winning was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had rescued two small stages in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.

The first in the city and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.