The artist has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the award on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the top album of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
Fender is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the group would give their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite split her award among multiple organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the local youth club that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued two small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in the city and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
