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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 12pm

https://www.samsvasolutions.com/

S.A.M Ltd, Keriston Avenue, Church, Gloucester (2026)

27/05/2026

A Chair we worked with last year described the moment they realised they needed to bring in an external minute taker.

A grievance had been raised some weeks earlier. The internal team had been briefed. The meeting was in the diary. And then, almost as an afterthought, someone asked: who's writing it up?

The usual minute taker was excellent, but also a close colleague of the person the grievance was about. Not conflicted in any formal sense, but close enough that, if the outcome was later challenged, the record could be questioned on grounds of perceived bias.

The Chair told me afterwards that the part they hadn't anticipated wasn't the meeting itself. It was the relief of knowing that the person taking the minutes had no relationship with anyone in the room, no stake in the outcome, and would deliver a clean draft within two days that the panel could review with fresh eyes.

That's the real value of an independent minute taker in sensitive proceedings. Not just a neutral pen. A neutral process.

If you have a meeting like this in the diary, or one you suspect is coming, the conversation worth having now is a scoping one, not a commissioning one. Independent minute takers worth using tend to be booked.
The scoping questions can be found in my most recent blog: https://samsvasolutions.com/independent-minute-taker-disciplinary-meetings/

24/05/2026

Most people commissioning an independent minute taker for the first time focus on the wrong question.

They ask: can this person take accurate minutes?

The better question is: can this person give a credible account, six months from now, of how the minutes were produced?

Because that's the question that matters if a disciplinary outcome is appealed, or a grievance is reopened, or a regulator asks to see the process.

Accuracy is the floor. Process integrity is the ceiling. An experienced independent minute taker captures direct speech at the moments that matter, notes adjournments with timings, tracks questions asked but not answered, and works to written confidentiality terms — not because any single one of those will save the day on its own, but because together they make the record difficult to challenge.

The minutes themselves are the visible output. The process behind them is what actually protects you.

If you're scoping this for the first time, ask the four questions that I've shared in my recent blog (link in the comments); they'll tell you very quickly whether someone has done this kind of work before.
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19/05/2026

The disciplinary meeting is a week on Friday.

The usual minute taker has just realised they sat on a committee with the person whose conduct is being examined. They've asked to be excused. Reasonable, on every level.

Now the Chair is looking at a meeting that needs a forensic record, taken by someone who isn't conflicted, isn't emotionally close to the matter, and knows the difference between the minutes of a strategy discussion and the minutes of an allegation being put.

This comes up more often than you might expect. Grievance panels, member-conduct hearings, safeguarding reviews, and fitness-to-practise proceedings all share a common feature: the usual arrangements don't quite work.

An independent minute taker isn't a luxury in these instances; it's a procedural protection. If the outcome is later challenged, the question that follows is rarely what do the minutes say? It's how were they produced, by whom, and on what basis?

I've written a longer piece on what changes in these meetings, what to look for in a provider, and the four questions worth asking before you commission one.
Link in the comments.

15/05/2026

It's International VA Day today, so here's a bit about what I actually do all day — for anyone who's ever wondered.

I'm Sam. I run S.A.M. Ltd, a UK-based virtual assistant business in Gloucestershire, working with membership organisations, charities, golf clubs, legal professionals, boards and committees — the kind of clients who can't afford for the admin to be vague.

A lot of our work is minute taking. Not "general discussion, everyone seemed broadly in agreement" minutes but proper records. What was decided, who's responsible, and what happens next. The kind that holds up six months later when someone needs an answer.

Alongside that, we handle document formatting, audio typing, inbox management and strategic PA support. Careful work for people who need things done properly and don't want to keep checking, chasing or correcting.

I'm an ambivert, which is a useful thing to be in this line of work. I'll happily talk to anyone, and then I'll need an hour on my own to recover. I notice things. I read the room. I spot what hasn't been said, as well as what has, and that is both a blessing and a curse!

Outside of work, I'm happiest outdoors, ideally by the sea or in the mountains (neither of which can be found where I live). I grew up in North Wales with a view of Snowdon out of my bedroom window and spent most of my childhood on a beach, which probably explains a lot! I love to travel when I can (usually to a beach or mountain), and I'm a sucker for live music (this May bank holiday you’ll find me at a festival singing with Rock Choir, supporting Emeli Sandé — not a sentence I ever expected to type), and I love to take photographs, having been raised by a photographer. I also like to write. Everyone has a book in them, apparently, and mine is in there somewhere, waiting for the right moment to emerge.

If we haven't spoken before, do say hello. I'm friendlier than my photo suggests.

15/04/2026

AI vs Human Minute-Taking: What works best?
AI is changing how meetings are recorded, and for many organisations, it seems like an obvious solution.

But when accuracy, accountability, sensitivity and confidentiality matter, it’s not always the right choice.

I’ve written a balanced piece on AI vs human minute-taking, looking at where each works well and where things can start to go wrong. If this is something you’re currently thinking about, this might help you think things through. Read the article here: https://samsvasolutions.com/ai-vs-human-minute-taking-what-actually-works-best/

09/04/2026

If your meetings need to be documented properly, you need more than just notes — you need clear, structured, and reliable minutes.

We provide professional minute-taking support for organisations that value accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance. Whether it’s a board meeting, disciplinary hearing, or safeguarding discussion, we ensure every detail is captured and presented clearly.

What’s Included in a Minte-Taking Package?

Agenda production and attendance tracking.
Clear, concise and impartial minutes.
Action points and key decisions highlighted.
Support for sensitive meetings (HR, disciplinary, safeguarding).
Consistent formatting aligned to your organisation.

Why would you need a Minute-Taker?

Time saving - your team can focus on the meeting, not note-taking.
Accuracy - clear records you can rely on later.
Compliance - essential for HR and governance processes.
Professional - you always have well-structured, consistent documentation.
Sensitive topics - recorded properly and confidentially, ensuring a discreet and impartial approach.
The human touch - not an AI transcription app where the security of your data is never guaranteed.

Get in touch for a Minute-Taking Chat. Schedule a call HERE: https://calendly.com/hello-sam-j/minute-taking-chat

07/04/2026

There are worse ways to start the working week than a brilliant Huddle in a beautiful setting – thank you Mette Lacey 🌱 for hosting us at Cowley Manor.

Working for myself, networking is what keeps me grounded, connected and, if I'm honest, sane.

But it wasn’t always like that.
When I first started my business, back in 2017, the idea of networking filled me with dread. I'd spent the past 14 years working in a school, so I wasn't familiar with the concept of networking, and quite frankly, it terrified me!

I knew quite quickly that unless I did something drastic, I would find every reason under the sun not to do it. So did the only thing I could think of, and started my own networking groups.

First Cheltenham Ladies Who Latte, and later Women's Informative Networking. Two very different communities, both successful in their own way, and more importantly, they dealt with my fear and completely changed how I show up in my business.

Looking back, it was an extreme way to deal with my fear, but it taught me something important:

You don’t have to become someone else to grow your business; you just need to find a way of doing things that works for you.

Today it was lovely to catch up with some familiar faces and meet some new people: Michelle Preece, Sarah Townsend, Andy Coghlan, Andy Jarrett, Jenny Harvey, Gill Kirkham

07/04/2026

There are worse ways to start the working week than a brilliant Huddle in a beautiful setting – thank you Mette Lacey 🌱 for hosting us at Cowley Manor.

Working for myself, networking is what keeps me grounded, connected and, if I'm honest, sane.

But it wasn’t always like that.
When I first started my business, back in 2017, the idea of networking filled me with dread. I'd spent the past 14 years working in a school, so I wasn't familiar with the concept of networking, and quite frankly, it terrified me!

I knew quite quickly that unless I did something drastic, I would find every reason under the sun not to do it. So did the only thing I could think of, and started my own networking groups.

First Cheltenham Ladies Who Latte, and later Women's Informative Networking. Two very different communities, both successful in their own way, and more importantly, they dealt with my fear and completely changed how I show up in my business.

Looking back, it was an extreme way to deal with my fear, but it taught me something important:

You don’t have to become someone else to grow your business; you just need to find a way of doing things that works for you.

01/04/2026

Earlier this month, I shared that my son, Daniel Johnstone, was raising money for the Royal British Veterans Enterprise by taking part in the Great Tommy Sleepout.

His goal was £500, and I’m incredibly proud to say he exceeded it, raising £635.

Watching him choose to do something like this (for the 4th time), giving up comfort to support others, says a lot about the kind of man he’s becoming.
Proud doesn’t quite cover it.

Yesterday, he turned 18. A big milestone for him… and if I’m honest, quite an emotional one for me too.

If you’ve got children, you’ll know just how these moments can sneak up on you. Where did that time go? How will I cope when he leaves home?!

And if you supported him — thank you. It really means a lot to both of us.

30/03/2026

Who usually ends up taking the notes in your meetings… and do they actually have time to do it properly?

I was asked about minute-taking at networking last week after mentioning it in my 60 seconds.

The person I spoke to said their department holds monthly meetings and actions are followed up, but, because there’s no experienced minute-taker, the task rotates between team members (and no one wants to do it).

The result is that the person taking the notes struggles to fully participate in the meeting, and the minutes aren’t accurate or consistent because no one has been shown how to do it properly.

As a result, actions get missed or misunderstood. Naturally, people are questioned when things aren’t done, and staff morale is sinking as a result.

I’ve been in similar meetings (in another life), and it’s not a nice place to be, but so easily remedied.

S.A.M Ltd

27/05/2026

24/05/2026

19/05/2026

15/05/2026

15/04/2026

09/04/2026

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

01/04/2026

30/03/2026

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 12pm