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The star has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

The star was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

Fender is not the first artist to give his honor winnings to good deeds.

In Pulp won the award in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist the singer stated that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty between several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band contributed their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, alongside other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT shared it had protected several local spots in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.

One venue in that area and the other in the city were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.