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The star has given the entirety of his £25,000 award winnings to the MVT, which works to save the Britain's grassroots music venues.

Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the top album of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

These funds supported venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.

In they won the prize in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty among several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist explained to outlets.

Two years ago, they donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched the lives of others."

Recently, the trust shared it had protected a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in the city and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.