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The artist has given the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's independent music venues.

The star was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.

The musician has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

He also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Some locations obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.

When Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, musician the artist split her prize across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.

"The victory was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected another person's life."

Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the properties.