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The artist has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the UK's grassroots music venues.

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

Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages had in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.

These funds helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.

"The concept that money from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to contribute his honor winnings to worthy causes.

Back when the band earned the prize in 1996 for their record the album, frontman Cocker declared that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, musician she shared her prize across multiple good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the community center that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Winning was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected another person's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had rescued a couple of local spots in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The Joiners in the city and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.