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The artist has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's independent music venues.

He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.

He has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages had in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.

The money helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The concept that money from concerts in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

Back when Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their record their work, frontman Cocker declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her bounty across multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," the artist explained to outlets.

Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients the group gave their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

Last week, the trust shared it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the properties.