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The star has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the UK's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.

He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.

The money supported venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues were granted financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and fans.

"The notion that money from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

When Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

That year, musician the artist divided her award between several organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," she shared with outlets.

In recent years, they contributed their funds to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year M People contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the MVT announced it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.