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The star has given the complete sum of his £25k award prize money to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.

He was given the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

He also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues stemming from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading amenities and gear that helped musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from concerts in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.

In the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their album their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her bounty between several charities, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," she explained to a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the trust shared it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

The first in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the venues.