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The artist has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor prize money to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's grassroots music venues.

The star was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the top album of the previous year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.

These funds assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The concept that revenue from shows in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to worthy causes.

In Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Cocker stated that the band would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist she split her prize across multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," she explained to the media.

In recent years, the band donated their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group gave their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the MVT revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

The first in that area and The Croft in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by a national body and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.