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The star has handed over the entirety of his £25k award cash to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's independent live music spots.

The star was given the prize on October 16 as his third album the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.

The donation helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.

In they won the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their prize money to the organization the charity.

During 2002, musician she shared her award across several organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.

Previously, they gave their prize money to the youth organization that supported their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.