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Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's grassroots music venues.

The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots had in his early career.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to support numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in improving amenities and gear that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The idea that money from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.

When Pulp received the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would give their winnings to the charity the charity.

During 2002, rapper and singer she split her award across a few charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

In recent years, the band contributed their funds to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked artist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the trust shared it had protected a couple of local spots in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.

One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.