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The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.

He was given the award on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

The musician has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to issues stemming from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The idea that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.

In Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist she shared her bounty among multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist shared with outlets.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.

"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.