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The artist has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's small music venues.

The star was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues arising from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

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

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

The musician is not the first artist to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.

When they won the prize in 1996 for their release the album, frontman Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the organization the charity.

In 2002, musician the artist split her award between multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Two years ago, they donated their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients M People donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

The first in that area and the second in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.