🔗 Share this article

The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's independent music venues.

He was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

These funds supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues obtained monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The concept that money from concerts in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

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

Back when Pulp won the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer the singer stated that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.

During 2002, artist she shared her award across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.

In recent years, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And winners that year the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."

Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in that area and the second in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.