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Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

He was given the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has opted to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots played in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Recently, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.

These funds helped spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to give his honor funds to good deeds.

In Pulp received the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the band would give their prize money to the organization War Child.

That year, artist she divided her award between multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," she told the media.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners they donated their award to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

The first in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.