🔗 Share this article The musician gives his £25k prize award winnings to grassroots live spaces The musician was awarded the honor recently in his hometown Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's independent music venues. Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the outstanding release of the previous year. Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his beginning days. "I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges." Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene. Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages. He also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across the UK. The money assisted locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints. Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted performers and fans. "The concept that revenue from shows in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has said. Pulp are among the artists who donated their honor winnings to non-profits Fender is not the first artist to give his award prize money to worthy causes. In Pulp received the trophy in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the group would give their prize money to the charity the charity. During 2002, musician she split her prize between a few charities, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell. "Additionally, I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," she told a publication. Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other local music groups. Also 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition. "Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success affected another person's life." Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control. The Joiners in the city and the second in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.