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The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the past year.

Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues played in his early career.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

He also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

These funds assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.

Fender is among several artists to give his award funds to worthy causes.

When they received the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize across several good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

Last week, the trust shared it had protected a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.