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The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the trust for venues, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small live music spots.

Fender was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.

He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

In they earned the prize in 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer stated that the band would give their cash to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her award across a few organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she explained to outlets.

Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," said artist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."

Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.