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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's small music venues.

He was given the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

He also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.

The money helped spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Other venues received monetary aid in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.

Fender is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.

In the band received the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the act would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

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

Previously, the band gave their prize money to the community center that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

And winners that year the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success affected somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had rescued two small stages in that region, by placing them under local control.

One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who purchase "shares" in the buildings.