The artist has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
He was awarded the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues received monetary aid in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when they earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman the singer declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician she split her prize among multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the MVT announced it had protected several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
