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The star has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages had in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

The musician is among several artists to give his award funds to good deeds.

Back when the band received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record the album, vocalist the singer stated that the act would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer she split her bounty among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she told a publication.

Previously, the band donated their prize money to the community center that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."

Recently, the trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.