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The artist has given the full amount of his £25,000 award winnings to the trust for venues, which works to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.

Fender was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the past year.

He has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.

The money helped spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.

Back when they received the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their cash to the charity the charity.

That year, artist the artist shared her bounty among multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she explained to a publication.

Two years ago, they donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.

And winners that year the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.

"Winning was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success touched another person's life."

Recently, the trust shared it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.

One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.