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The star has donated the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.

Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release his work was named the best record of the previous year.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

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

Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.

The money supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and gear that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.

The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.

In the band won the trophy in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would give their cash to the charity the charity.

In 2002, musician the artist shared her bounty between a few organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.

The Joiners in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.