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The star has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the UK's independent music venues.

The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the past year.

He has opted to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts like Pulp, 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 prices, which goes to help local stages.

He also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across Britain.

The money helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.

He is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.

Back when Pulp earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the band would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty among several good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," she explained to outlets.

Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected somebody else's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.

The first in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.