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Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots live music spots.

He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his latest record his work was named the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.

Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support 38 local spots across Britain.

These funds helped locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped artists and fans.

"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

He is not the first artist to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.

When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.

In 2002, musician she divided her award across multiple charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she explained to the media.

Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," said singer the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had rescued several local spots in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the venues.