The artist has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the prize on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues received funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The notion that money from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.
When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
That year, artist the artist divided her bounty between multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist explained to the media.
Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the properties.
