Inside Mrs Hinch's incredibly close bond with dad from DIY projects to son’s namesake
On Wednesday, 8 May, Mrs Hinch, aka Sophie Hinchliffe, shared the devastating news that her father, Alan, had passed away “suddenly”, leaving her dealing with a “deep unimaginable pain”.
In a heartbreaking Instagram post, the 34 year old paid tribute to her dad and revealed that her life had been “turned upside down” following the tragic news.
“25th April 2024. My precious Dad passed suddenly but so peacefully whilst he slept. My life, our whole world, has been turned upside down. A deep unimaginable pain I cannot put into words.
“My loving Dad, Your workshop is locked up and I sleep with the key. I promise to keep your workshop dream going. Until we meet and sing together again. Goodnight Dad My absolute king Your Bubberloo,” she wrote.
“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”
While Mrs Hinch may be known for her cleaning tips and organisation hacks, it seems as though the social media star learned some of her DIY skills from her doting dad. After moving into her ‘Hinch Farm’ home in January 2022, the mum-of-two has worked with her dad to make the house a home.
Back in August, Mrs Hinch revealed that her father had made a table for her dining room, as well as other pieces for her stunning home.
“Call me mad. My dad made this table, he made the table that's down there,” she said. “Really special pieces from my dad up here. I love having bits from my dad all around the house.”
Meanwhile, in 2022 Mrs Hinch showed off the first completed room in her home - which she explained had been crafted in “Grandad’s workshop” as she gushed over her father’s work.
“Our first room is completed,” she began. “Filled with so much love, made together in “Grandads workshop”. THIS project will stay with me forever! I hope you all love it as much as we do! I love you Dad, we are finally Norm from The New Yankee Workshop Bring on the next room at Hinch Farm.”
Elsewhere, Alan also helped Mrs Hinch create an incredible shelving unit and sink stand for her children’s bathroom in April 2022 as well as a shelf and worktop for her dog Henry’s shower.
In another sweet tribute to her beloved father, Mrs Hinch named her son, Lennie Alan James Hinchcliffe, after her dad.
“Both me and Jamie loved the fact Lennie rhymes with Ronnie but also when shortened to Len rhymes with Hen,” she wrote in an Instagram Story back in 2021. “Alan, Is my Dads name”.
She added: “James: Ronnies middle name is also James and thats because Jamies name is actually James! [laughing face emoji] on his birth certificate he is officially James so we wanted both our boys to have James xx”.
