The artist gives his £25k prize award winnings to small music venues

The star has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's grassroots music venues.

The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

Fender is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to charitable organizations.

In the band won the prize in the mid-90s for their release their work, frontman Cocker declared that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

That year, musician the artist shared her prize among several organizations, like 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 updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.

In recent years, they gave their prize money to the community center that developed their band, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"Receiving the award was ample," said vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success affected the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.