The London Twestival, a Twitter-based fundraising event due to be held this Monday, was called off this week citing low ticket sales and a lack of support from the tech community.

While the organisers of this year’s event, which was due to raise money for BeatBullying, say they are working to find alternative date for later this year, no date is yet fixed.

Twestival is a real-world event which began in 2009 in the early days of Twitter and sees Twitter users come together in a social gathering to raise money for good causes. In 2011, the Twestival Local series raised more than $215,000 in two and a half hours, while 2010’s global event raised well in excess of $300,000.

A blog post on the London Twestival site on 27 August announced the postponement, and explained why the action was taken. As recently as a week before postponing, the organisers were still promoting the event.

“While we had worked our socks off to create a really exciting evening full of fun to raise money for BeatBullying, ticket sales have been surprisingly slow. There has also been an unfortunate lack of support from the wider tech community in terms of sponsorship funds and to help us publicise and promote the event to a wider audience,” the organisers said.

“We will now be regrouping to find another suitable date in the calendar before 2013 is at an end – and we hope you will then come and join us to #PlayFair in aid of the great work BeatBullying does for young people.”

Those who bought tickets to Monday’s event are being offered refunds or the opportunity to move their ticket to the new event.

The London Twestival was due to return in 2013 after a hiatus in 2012. In the previous year local coordinated Twestival events raised £370,000 for charities globally.

London Twestival did not respond to civilsociety.co.uk requests for comment.