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The artist has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

The star was given the award on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Some locations obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to donate his award prize money to good deeds.

In they won the trophy in 1996 for their release the album, lead singer the singer announced that the act would give their prize money to the organization War Child.

During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her prize between several organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that supported their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected two small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.