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Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots played in his beginning days.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds helped locations that were facing imminent closure due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that money from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

He is far from the only musician to give his award funds to worthy causes.

Back when Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her award among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year they donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Winning was ample," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in the city and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.