The Geordie-born star collected his award for the critically acclaimed album Folks Watching. He determined to present the £25,000 prize to Music Venue Belief.
Sam Fender donated his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to charity supporting grassroots venues throughout the nation. The Geordie-born star collected the award in Newcastle for his critically acclaimed album Folks Watching final month.
He determined to present the prize to Music Venue Belief, in recognition of the important position grassroots venues performed in his early profession. It means a complete of £160,000 has been raised for charity from his current gigs across the world.
Followers gave an additional £35,000 for Docs With out Borders, supporting their work across the globe. The charity additionally paid tribute to the star for elevating consciousness of the work performed by their volunteers world wide. His Newcastle United hero Dan Burn made a particular visitor look on stage at his closing gig at St James Park in the summertime.
And the singer had already given £100,000 to MVT in 2024. Making the newest donation, Fender, 31, stated: “I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now if it wasn’t for all of the gigs I performed across the North East, and past, after I was beginning out.
“These venues are legendary, however they’re struggling.” Mark Davyd, CEO and founding father of Music Venue Belief, stated: “That is an unimaginable gesture by Sam.
“It demonstrates as soon as once more that artists completely perceive how important grassroots music venues are to their careers and to their communities.
“We’re honoured to just accept this donation and can guarantee each penny of it makes a direct distinction to the marketing campaign to maintain reside music on the coronary heart of our cities and cities.”
Sam’s 2024 enviornment tour raised greater than £100,000 that was distributed by MVT by way of its Liveline Fund. That supported 38 grassroots venues throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.
Talking on the time Sam stated, “It’s good to see that the cash raised from the sector tour is making an actual distinction to so many venues. The grassroots circuit has been decimated during the last 10 years or so.
“The concept cash from reveals in huge venues helps the smaller venues, the place all of it begins for musicians like me, is simply widespread sense.”
His world tour had raised tens of hundreds of kilos to assist volunteers on the frontline in battle zones. Docs With out Borders stated: “We’re extremely grateful to Sam Fender for his partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières on his current European tour.
“By inviting our fundraisers to have interaction along with his followers, Sam helped us increase over £35,000 to fund our essential humanitarian work world wide.
“On behalf of our sufferers and groups in Palestine, we lengthen a profound thanks to Sam and his workforce for talking out and drawing public consideration to the devastating scenario there.
“Sam’s advocacy has been a robust pressure, including important consciousness to the necessity for unhindered medical help.”
