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The star has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album the album was declared the top album of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

He also joined in, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations were granted financial assistance in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

He is among several artists to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.

When the band won the award in the year 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their cash to the charity War Child.

During 2002, artist she shared her prize across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Previously, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the illness.

"The victory was ample," stated singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.