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The star has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to save the Britain's small concert spaces.

He was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.

He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across Britain.

The money helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces received financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas helps the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

Fender is not the first artist to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.

In they received the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist the singer declared that the group would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize across several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist explained to the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other independent music bodies.

And winners that year the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Winning was ample," said singer the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had rescued several small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.