🔗 Share this article

The star has donated the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the trust for venues, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.

He was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was chosen as 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 vital role small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

He also took part, generating over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and audiences.

"The notion that money from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.

When Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Cocker declared that the band would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her award between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," she explained to the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the community center that nurtured their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Also winners that year M People donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," stated singer Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved a couple of small stages in that region, by placing them under local control.

One venue in the city and the other in the city were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.