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Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.

The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving facilities and gear that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

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

Back when they earned the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the act would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist divided her bounty among a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she told outlets.

Two years ago, the band gave their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," stated artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success impacted another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected two local spots in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.

The first in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.