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The star has given the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the Britain's independent concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots had in his early career.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

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

Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

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

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The concept that money from performances in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

The musician is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

Back when they received the prize in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

During 2002, musician she split her award between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she told a publication.

In recent years, they gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued two grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.