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The artist has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the UK's independent music venues.

He was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the best record of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues had in his beginning days.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

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

In the last year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across the UK.

The money assisted spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from performances in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

He is among several artists to give his award winnings to worthy causes.

When they won the award in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist the singer announced that the act would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her prize among multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.

Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched another person's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in the city and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the venues.