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Sam Fender has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to save the Britain's small concert spaces.

The star was given the prize on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.

These funds supported venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and gear that helped performers and fans.

"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

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

Back when Pulp earned the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman the singer stated that the act would give their winnings to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer she split her award among multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist explained to outlets.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the condition.

"The victory was ample," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success affected somebody else's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.

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