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The star has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which functions to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.

The star was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages had in his beginning days.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.

Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

The musician is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to charitable organizations.

In the band won the prize in 1996 for their album the album, frontman Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, artist the artist divided her award between a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

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

Also the 1994 recipients they donated their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in that area and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by a national body and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the venues.