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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's independent music venues.

The star was presented with the award on 16 October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the past year.

He has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

Fender is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.

When Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, musician the artist split her bounty among a few good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

Previously, the band contributed their funds to the community center that developed their act, as well as other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners M People contributed their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

The first in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.