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The artist has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that helped artists and fans.

"The notion that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

He is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.

In the band won the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her bounty between a few charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist told the media.

In recent years, they donated their funds to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the MVT revealed it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The first in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the properties.