The star has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages played 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 performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations received funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
In the band won the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the charity the charity.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite shared her award between multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," she explained to the media.
Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Recently, the trust shared it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in that area and the other in the city were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
