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The artist has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

He was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.

He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.

He also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to assist numerous local spots across the UK.

The money helped locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to contribute his honor funds to good deeds.

In they earned the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.

That year, artist the artist split her award between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist told outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected the lives of others."

In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by placing them under local control.

One venue in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the properties.