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The artist has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

He was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation assisted venues that were facing potential shutdown due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

In they won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer she split her bounty across several good causes, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," she told the media.

Two years ago, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.

"The victory was ample," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.