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Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his new release the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.

He has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The idea that money from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.

When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman the singer stated that the group would give their prize money to the organization the charity.

During 2002, artist she divided her prize among a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.

Previously, they donated their funds to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year M People contributed their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"The victory was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

Recently, the trust announced it had rescued two local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.

One venue in the city and The Croft in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.