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Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's small music venues.

He was given the cheque on 16 October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money supported locations that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Other venues received monetary aid in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and fans.

"The concept that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

In they won the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist she shared her award among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she shared with the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their group, alongside other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The first in the city and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.