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Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 honor prize money to the MVT, which works to save the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

He also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

He is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.

When they earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their release their work, frontman the singer stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her award among several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told outlets.

Previously, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected another person's life."

Last week, the trust announced it had protected two local spots in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the properties.