The musician donates his £25k prize award winnings to independent music venues

The star has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which works to protect the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on October 16 as his latest record his work was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

The musician has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages had in his beginning days.

"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.

He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.

The donation assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The idea that revenue from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his award winnings to worthy causes.

Back when they received the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.

During 2002, musician she shared her award among multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," she shared with the media.

Previously, the band gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients M People donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected another person's life."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under local control.

The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and supporters who buy "shares" in the properties.