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Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which works to save the Britain's independent live music spots.

He was given the award on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the top album of the past year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation supported venues that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The notion that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band won the award in the mid-90s for their record the album, lead singer the singer stated that the group would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize among multiple good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she told a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year M People gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected another person's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in that area and the other in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.