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Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the prize on October 16 as his new release his work was named the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.

He also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across the UK.

The money supported locations that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues received funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and audiences.

"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

In the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their cash to the organization War Child.

That year, artist the artist divided her prize among multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," the artist explained to the media.

Previously, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in the city and the other in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.