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Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was named the top album of the past year.

He has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

The money assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The idea that funds from shows in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.

When the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty across a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that nurtured their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was ample," said artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.