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The artist has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.

He was given the prize on October 16 as his third album People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight local spots across the UK.

The money helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The notion that money from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

The musician is among several artists to contribute his honor funds to good deeds.

Back when the band received the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist the singer declared that the band would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, artist she shared her award across a few organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told a publication.

Two years ago, the band gave their funds to the local youth club that developed their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

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

"Winning was sufficient," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.