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The artist has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the Britain's small music venues.

Fender was presented with the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the past year.

He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.

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

The donation helped venues that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The concept that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.

When Pulp received the prize in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, musician the artist divided her prize among several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," said artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved a couple of local spots in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.