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The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

The star was given the award on 16 October as his new release the album was named the top album of the last 12 months.

The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

He also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.

The money assisted venues that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues were granted monetary aid in improving infrastructure and gear that positively impacted musicians and audiences.

"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to worthy causes.

In Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their cash to the charity War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," she told the media.

In recent years, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"The victory was ample," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust shared it had protected several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the properties.