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The star has given the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's independent music venues.

The star was given the award on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

He also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to support thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.

He is not the first artist to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.

When the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize between multiple charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she told the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.

"Winning was ample," said vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.