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The star has given the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's small live music spots.

Fender was given the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the top album of the previous year.

He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his initial steps.

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

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.

The donation supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.

When the band earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.

In 2002, musician the artist shared her award among a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist told a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year M People contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The first in the city and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the properties.