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The star has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's small music venues.

He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

He also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The money supported locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

He is among several artists to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.

In Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, vocalist the singer declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

That year, artist she split her award among several organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," she explained to the media.

Previously, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year M People donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

The first in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.