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The artist has handed over the complete sum of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the UK's independent concert spaces.

The star was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages played in his early career.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

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

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.

Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

These funds assisted locations that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.

Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.

When they won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would donate their cash to the organization War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist split her prize across several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," the artist told the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the trust announced it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The first in that area and the second in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.