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The artist has given the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.

He was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was named the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.

"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation assisted venues that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and audiences.

"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

The musician is not the first artist to give his award winnings to worthy causes.

In the band received the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Cocker announced that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her award across multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she shared with a publication.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

And winners that year they gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in the city and the other in the city were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.