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Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the trust for venues, which works to protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.

He was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.

He also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.

In Pulp won the trophy in the mid-90s for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer she divided her award between a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she shared with a publication.

In recent years, they contributed their funds to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year M People gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.