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Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.

The star was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the previous year.

The musician has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.

Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.

The donation assisted spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from shows in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his honor funds to worthy causes.

In they earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman the singer stated that the group would give their winnings to the charity the charity.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her prize between several organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated artist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had protected a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.

The first in the city and the other in the city were bought under the community ownership program, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "shares" in the venues.