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The star has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the UK's small live music spots.

The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the previous year.

The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, at least 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 trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

These funds assisted venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

He is not the first artist to donate his award funds to worthy causes.

In they won the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the act would donate their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty between multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.

Previously, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"The victory was sufficient," stated singer the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success touched another person's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved several local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.